PANGASINAN READY FOR HOLY WEEK TOURISTS

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan: With the expected influx of tourists to Pangasinan this Holy Week break, the Pangasinan Police Office will be deploying at least 2,500 personnel all over the province for added security, provincial police director Col. Jeff Fanged said.

In an interview over the weekend, Fanged said roads, beaches, and other tourist destinations in the province will have policemen to keep law and order and ensure the safety of everyone.

“Our preparation this year is based on our experience last year. So there will be policemen along the highways going to western Pangasinan, as well as in the beaches from the town of San Fabian in the north central part of the province, to Infanta in the west,” Fanged said.

He said his team has identified possible choke points along the highway to western Pangasinan and had requested the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to open the one-way lanes due to ongoing repair works along the highway.

Tourists usually begin traveling to western Pangasinan on Holy Wednesday, slowing traffic flow and creating a long queue of vehicles from the town of Labrador.

“The situation is the same when they travel back to Manila at the end of the Holy Week,” said Fanged.

Popular tourist attractions are the beaches in the towns of Infanta, Dasol, Burgos, Mabini, Agno Bolinao, Anda, and Bani, and the Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos City.

Fanged said that tourist policemen and personnel from the local disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) office will also be on the beaches to give aid during drowning incidents.

“We have already coordinated with the different DRRMs. Also, all private resorts should have lifeguards,” Fanged said.

He said that last year, there were eight drowning incidents in private resorts because they had no lifeguards.

“And if the tourist swims and he or she is drunk, and there is no lifeguard on duty, he or she would just be discovered dead the following day,” Fanged said.

He also said policemen will be posted near Catholic churches to ensure the safety of those going on a “visita iglesia” where devotees visit seven to nine churches.

Manaoag town Mayor Jeremy Agerico Rosario said the town government is ready for the influx of pilgrims to the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag, the number one tourist destination in the province during this Holy Week.

“It’s green and go. We are ready for the Holy Week,” Rosario said.

He said traditionally, the church and the spaces surrounding it are filled with people from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday.

“Aside from policemen, we will deploy our force multipliers and our DRRMs and traffic enforcers,” Rosario said.

He said command posts in front and at the back of the church will be set up.

Fanged said more policemen will also be deployed along the Villa Verde Trail leading to the mountain village of Malico.

Tourists, especially motorcycle riders, had been swarming the mountain village because of its cool climate and scenic views.

Fanged said he had talked to the Nueva Vizcaya provincial director for a joint effort to maintain peace and order in the place.