Public Safety and Security Office head Angel Sumagaysay said on Tuesday that generating awareness among Dabawenyos on the “Culture of Security” is a continuing campaign.
“Kining pag inculcate nga ingon ani sa mind sa mga Dabawenyos dili madali dayon pero mao na ang reason ngano sige tag propagate aning Culture of Security sa tanang sector ug iapil pa nato sa exercises kay at least ang ilang participation and awareness maingon nato na nidulot na everytime naa tay activities,” Sumagaysay told Edge Davao.
Launched in 2020 by the city government of Davao and Task Force Davao, ‘Culture of Security’ is a people-centered campaign that encourages Dabawenyos to adopt vigilance into their way of life through the campaign “May Nakita? Dapat Magsalita!”
“Pero as to the level kay ang response ani nila kung nagpakabana ni sila through sumbong o tawag dili pa ta kasulti kung hangtod asa unless kung makapag-meeting nami with TF, Davao City Police Office, and 911 kung nagpakabana ba,” Sumagaysay added.
In January this year, Task Force Davao Commander Col. Darren Comia announced over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) that TF Davao’s success in maintaining the city’s peace, security, and order in 2022 will need further augmentation to be successfully replicated this year by expanding its Culture of Security campaign with the help of the education sector, as well as strengthening the city’s border control by adding more detachments and checkpoints.
Comia said that this year, the city’s security culture will target students in grade school and high school to teach them how important it is to have engaged citizens to keep the city’s peace and order.
Meanwhile, Sumagaysay said that the best thing to look at is the response units like the DCPO and the TF Davao through the conduct of simulation exercises.
An unannounced simulation exercise was conducted on February 20, 2023 aiming to bolster Davao City’s Culture of Security “May Nakita, Dapat Magsalita” campaign.
The simulation exercise, which was held at the Roxas Night Market and Nova Food Park in Nova Tierra, also aims to determine the readiness of the city’s security cluster, the city government of Davao, and the Dabawenyos.
The activity was executed with two scenarios: an abandoned motorcycle in Roxas Night Market and an explosion in Nova Tierra.
“Didto sa Roxas Night Market kunuhay adunay unattended na motorsiklo nga gibiyaan but na cordon ni siya kay na report sa atong authorities ug na secure ang area. Sa Nova Tierra ang scenario kunuhay adunay explosion,” said Harvey Lanticse, officer-in-charge of the City Information Office (CIO) over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Monday.
Lanticse reiterated that the simex is part of the city’s Culture of Security campaign in case untoward incidents will happen in the city.
“We test the capabilities of the security cluster at the same time ang atoang LGU ug atong mga katawhan. Kani siya nga simex was unannounced. Ngano dili gina-announce? Kay para murag realistic ang atong exercise. Dili man pud gyud nato ni mahibaw-an kung gani mahitabo ni puhon ang atong ingon ani nga insidente,” he said.
Last year, the city government of Davao and TF Davao conducted a series of unannounced Culture of Security simex.
Comia described the simulation exercises as successful.
He also said that with the said simulation exercises, he believed that the city can address the situation at hand with coordination and collaboration with all agencies.
