Boracay ASEAN meetings security a success – PNP

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

The Police Regional Office (PRO-6) considered the security for the ministerial meetings of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Boracay Island a success.

                                                    PHOTO CHRISTOPHER MENDOZA

Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, PRO-6 spokesperson, said the meetings between foreign ministers, senior officials and partner nations of ASEAN member countries officially ended on February 21. 

Boracay Island hosted the 23rd Meeting of ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights on February 13-15 and the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Retreat on February 19-21.

Gorero cited the peace and order, security and emergency preparedness put in place by the 21-member agencies. 

More than 3,000 personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Army, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy and other volunteer groups were deployed at the venues, airports, billeting hotels, ports, tour routes and staging areas to provide security and emergency preparedness response, all throughout the duration of ministerial meetings in Boracay Island. 

After the Boracay meetings, Gorero said security personnel will be deployed starting February 28 for the ASEAN meetings in Iloilo City. Task Group Site Iloilo City will utilize the personnel of police provincial offices nearest to Iloilo City.

Ambulances, emergency response teams and fire trucks will be assigned also in staging areas in Iloilo City for 22nd SOCA Meeting and 17th ASEAN Socio Cultural Community Council Meeting on March 6-9; ASEAN Military Operations Informal Meeting, ASEAN Military Intelligence Informal Meeting and ASEAN Chiefs of Defense Forces Informal Meeting on March 6-10 and the 3rd ASEAN-OECD Good Regulatory Practice Network Meeting on March 14-15.

Overall, Task Group commandeer PRO-6 Chief Superintendent Jose Gentiles thanked the stakeholders for their support and the good relationship of the community, three barangays of Boracay Island, the provincial government of Aklan and municipal government of Malay to the security forces and volunteers.

After the delegates left the province of Aklan and Western Visayas, a final coordinating conference and assessment of ASEAN Boracay ministerial meetings was conducted on February 22.

The article was originally published by independent online blog Aklan Forum Journal. The unrestricted use in print or radio, publication and distribution of articles are allowed provided the original author and Aklan Forum Journal are credited.