Iloilo City PNP bags country’s best police community relations award

By Jennifer P. Rendon

BARANGAYnihan. Libre Sakay. “We share because We care” program. Massive anti-terrorism dialogues and information dissemination.

These are just several activities undertaken by the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) that made them stand out from the rest.

For the PNP’s 26th PCR Month celebration, ICPO was named outstanding city police office in the field of Police Community Relations (PCR).

This year’s celebration adopted the theme “Pulisya at Pamayanan, BARANGAYanihan sa Hamon ng Pandemya at Laban sa Krimen”.

Colonel Uldarico Garbanzos, Iloilo City police chief, personally received the award during the culminating ceremony at the PNP national headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

“This is a product of unity. This achievement was made possible through the effort of the men and women of ICPO,” Garbanzos said.

Under the said category, ICPO bested the police stations of Santiago City in Police Regional Office 2 (PRO-2); Angeles City in PRO-3; Puerto Princesa City in PRO-4B; Naga City in PRO-5; Tacloban City in PRO-8; Zamboanga City in PRO-9; Iligan City inPRO-10; Cotabato City in PRO Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BAR); and Baguio CPO in PRO Cordillera.

In bagging the award, the ICPO embarked on Project Palangga, which helps marginalized individuals and indigent families in Iloilo City.

They also initiated 72 “Barangaynihan” activities in 65 barangays in the metropolis.

The project helped 6,514 individuals using P330,385.

They also conducted massive awareness campaign on the effect of COVID-19 and how it could be avoided.

PCR-trainee police went to all 180 barangays of Iloilo City to hold the information dissemination drive.

The campaign drew 3,907 participants.

They also offered free rides under the “Libre Sakay” program when the city was placed under enhanced community quarantine.

ICPO personnel also recorded 5,462 recoreda activities to repeatedly spread awareness on the risks of COVID-19.

They also led dialogues on anti-terrorism and managed to clear three barangays listed as “white areas.”

ICPO also managed to enlist the participation of 12,301 individuals, as of May 2021, to be part of an advocacy group that would act as force multipliers in the maintenance of peace and order.

As if it weren’t enough, they also took part in several community outreach and bloodletting programs.

“This achievement is mainly for the people of Iloilo City,” Garbanzos said.

In 2019, the ICPO was also named best PCR Office.