Police Colonel Aladdin Collado, the director of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO). | Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Lesser crowd and empty roads were observed this Good Friday, April 2, in Cebu province, says Cebu Provincial Police Office director Police Colonel Alladin Collado.
Collado said the situation was manageable as of today, April 2 during his visit to different towns in Cebu. However, he said that they are still preparing for Black Saturday, Easter Sunday, and Monday where they anticipate huge volumes of people going back to the city after this long weekend.
“We are expecting possibilities…we are extending our police presence in the area [Cebu province],” Collado said.
Aside from crowd control in churches, Collado said provincial cops also help ensure that protocols were strictly followed in various tourist destinations in Cebu. He added that some local tourists are already in beach resorts as early as today, Good Friday.
“Nakikita naman natin na di gaanong marami pero mayroon nang mga turista,” Collado added.
(We can see that there were a few tourists already.)
The north and south bus terminals were also strictly monitored. As of yesterday, April 1, Collado said that there were only a few passengers in the terminals compared to last Wednesday wherein long queues were observed. He said their focus would be in the next few days wherein more people from the towns will be traveling back to Cebu.
He further said that they will continue to assure the crowd of their safety and security as he noted better cooperation from the public in terms of adhering to health and safety protocols.
“Sa observation natin this Lenten season ay matahimik, matiwasay at maayos,” Collado concluded.
(Our observation is that this Lenten season is peaceful, orderly, and organized.)
As the province continues to rebound from the economic effects of the pandemic, Collado said the police can assure the public of their safety and security. /rcg