MCPO prepares security plan for Mandaue fiesta 2023

The National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City. | CDN Digital file photo

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) has already laid out its security plans for the fiesta celebration of Sr. San Jose on May 8.

Lieutenant Colonel Franc Rudolf Oriol, MCPO’s deputy city director for operations, said they have also identified security measures that would be implemented during the different fiesta-related activities.

Oriol said security measures were based on the scheduled events and the anticipated crowd size during said events.

For example, various security personnel were deployed  to secure a Vispop Concert on Monday night, May 1, that was held a few hours after the opening salvo of this year’s fiesta celebration.

A total of 638 personnel were deployed to secure the Vispop concert at the North Reclamation Area Monday night. These included augmentation personnel from the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas and their counterparts from the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu and personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM), among others.

Other big events that are scheduled here in the coming days include the Bon Odori and the Panagtagbo Festival on May 6 that would be attended by Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia.

For fiesta activities that would be held indoors or at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex, Oriaol said they would only need to field a few personnel since the event venue is easier to secure, unlike in outdoor activities.

Oriol said drinking and bringing alcoholic beverages and the bringing of big backpacks to any of the fiesta activity venues are prohibited. Individuals found carrying bladed weapons would also be arrested.

While they secure fiesta activities, Oriol said that they would also continue with the implementation of their anti-criminality activities.

Meanwhile, Oriol is reminding Mandauehanons that the curfew on minors, which is from 10 p.m. to 5 p.m., would remain in effect and would be strictly implemented during the fiesta season.

An exemption would only be made if the minor is accompanied by a parent or a guardian.

Minors, who will be rescued. would be turned over to their respective barangays.

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