P5 M Cordillera PNP projects completed

By Dexter A. See

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – The Police Regional Office in the Cordillera recently completed and inaugurated at least P5 million worth of vital infrastructure projects within the 8-hectare property of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to enhance the delivery of services and the moral recovery of the police force and its surrounding community.

Included in the special projects were the over P3 million St. Paul church, which is considered the best PNP church nationwide, the facelift of the camp’s gate, the establishment of a heritage foundation depicting the different political subdivisions in the Cordillera and the so-called Matikas steps in honor of the Philippine Military Academy Matikas Class of 1977.

Chief Supt. Orlando Pestano, regional police director, said funds used for the projects came from their savings in their various activities over the past ten months.

Because of the completion of the new projects, the Benguet tourism council already included Camp Dangwa as a major tourist destination in this vegetable-producing province so that more tourists will be attracted to come and see what the camp could offer for them.

Pestano said they opted not to request for funding support from their national headquarters because they want to show that despite their meager resou7rces, they could still introduce significant improvements for the benefit of the police force and the community they serve.

The police official said the newly-constructed church will not only be used by the camp but it will be open to the public for the Misa de Gallo starting Wednesday and other religious services, especially to those who want to avail of the church’s services in the coming days.

According to him, belt-tightening measures adopted by the leadership of the regional police office over the past ten months translated to better services for the people they serve because the newly-established facilities will be able to cater to the needs of the people as well as to the enhancement of the local tourism industry.

Ms Cynthia Verzosa, wife of PNP chief Director-General Jesus A. Verzosa who was the guest of honor and speaker during the inauguration activities, lauded the cooperation and collaboration displayed by police officials and personnel in their bid to improve the image of the local police force as a steward in the upliftment of the trust and confidence of the people to the men in uniform.

She said self-reliance and resourcefulness displayed by the police leadership in improving the stature of the camp should be replicated in various police camps.

Aside from their savings from their various activities, Pestano disclosed the funds which were used in the completion of his priority projects were raised from their own initiatives through fund-raising activities and solicitations from their benefactors in the international and national scenes, thus, the combined effort is a clear indication that the true Filipino virtue of “bayanihan” is still alive even up to the present generation.