The City Government of Isabela through its City Peace and Order Council collaborated with the 19th Special Forces Company, 4th Special Forces Battalion of the Philippine Army to hold a 2-Day Security Awareness Training Course for the city’s 45 barangay chairpersons, September 21-22.
The event opened with remarks from 19thSFC, 4SBn Acting Company Commander CAPT Ralph Raoul Carbon and Councilor James Abner Rodriguez, chair of the SP Committee on Peace and Order. Both messages underscored the critical role that punong barangays play in the city’s sustained efforts on peace, order and public security.
This was followed by a discussion on the roles and duties of PBs, LPs, and barangay secretaries by CLGOO Arnel Alvarez from the DILG Isabela City FOU. PCMS Marlon Takazi Look and PCpl Al-Hafidz Irilis, Intelligence PNCO, from PNP-ICPS then shared about the Barangay Information Network. Meanwhile, SGT Junito Lao Jr. and SGT Jay-ar Amores from the Philippine Army lectured the merits of intelligence-gathering. Day 2 of the training engaged the participants on firearms safety and maintenance.
LTC Adolf Ian Garceron, Commander of the 4th Special Forces Battalion then closed the two-day course, reiterating how the partnership between the barangay LGUs and the security sector is key to sustaining the peace in Isabela City.
The activity was ably facilitated Assistant Focal for POPS/CPOC-CADAC Rix La Guardia and officers from the 19thSFC, 4SBn PA.
Under the leadership of Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman, almost 17 million pesos has been earmarked this year to support the operations of security elements stationed in the city, in addition to close coordination with and involvement of barangay leaders—and in an affirmation of the fruits of this collective effort, Isabela City is set to be officially declared ASG-Free this September 30. (Words by M. Guerrero, CIO/Photos by J. Segovia, IsaTV)
