Better place, food for police force

Food allowance is only P300 per day

POLICE operatives tasked to guard the second wave of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Cebu have something to be happy about.

The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 has made some “corrections” to their accommodation after learning from experiences during the first set of meetings that ended last month, said PRO 7 Director Prudencio Tom Bañas.

While some personnel, mostly those from outside Cebu, complained of “unequal” quality of food and accommodation before, they are now all housed in one building.

“We decided to accommodate all of them at CICC (Cebu International Convention Center),” Bañas said.

He added that housing the more than 2,000 police officers in one place is more convenient and is expected to result in faster transactions like that of food delivery.

“The delivery of food is also easier now that they are delivered to one place only,” Bañas said.

The change also means that no operative can be seen sleeping again on makeshift hammocks inside and outside unfinished classrooms in Mabolo National High School, one of the chosen venues for police accommodation before.

Bañas said the same budget for food, which is P300 per day, is being allocated.

The second and last wave of APEC events in Cebu will have its first meeting today.

Last Monday, Bañas led the meeting of law enforcement units and different government agencies that comprise the committee on security, peace and order and emergency preparedness for the APEC meetings.

Among the matters discussed were the lapses during the first set of meetings, which started in the last week of August.