Cops ready for Boracay reopening, PRO-6 says

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

Simulation exercises (SIMEX) were held Wednesday, September 23, in Boracay Island, as the world-renowned tourist destination is poised to open its door to domestic tourists from outside Region 6 on Oct 1, 2020.

Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, Western Visayas police chief, sent the Red Team to test the police responses in several scenarios.

Headed by Police Lieutenant Colonel Victoriano E Romanillos Jr., the PRO-6 Red Team has been conducting SIMEX to gauge the operational preparedness of the units and to check the actual response of the police officers and other key players in the given scenario.

Under close supervision of the PRO-6 Red Team, Colonel Esmeraldo Osia Jr., Aklan police chief, spearheaded Wednesday’s SIMEX in Boracay Island.

The scenarios taken into consideration are active shooting, bomb threat, and unruly CoVid-19 patient who escaped from a quarantine facility.

“I want the Red Team to ensure that the courses of action are executed properly based on the contingency plans submitted by the units involved,” Pamuspusan said.

While the Red Team measures the effectiveness of the plans based on the execution, they could also recommend changes to improve the existing plans.

Meanwhile, Romanillos rated the Boracay Island police’s execution of the scenarios as “very satisfactory.”

Meanwhile, Pamuspusan assured the public of a full security coverage during Boracay’s reopening to tourists from outside of the region.

The local police and support units, who were earlier deployed in all strategic areas, will maintain peace and order and security.

They will also ensure that health protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) are strictly followed.

The PRO-6 leadership has also appealed to Boracay-goers to also do their part in observing health and safety protocols.

“Let us enjoy the beauty of Boracay without compromising our health and safety,” Pamuspusan said.

Recently, the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force approved the request of Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores to reopen Boracay Island even to tourists from GCQ areas like the National Capital Region.

Relatedly, on top of opening the island for visitors coming from Metro Manika, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo–Puyat has also asked the inter-agency task force to remove age restrictions for tourists on the island.

Persons who wish to visit Boracay need a negative PCR coronavirus test result 48 to 72 hours before their travel.

They must also secure a confirmed booking

with any of some 200 resorts and establishments that the tourism department has certified.