IPPO hoists flag in future home

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

Two weeks after announcing that it has picked its future home, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office held its first flag raising ceremony Wednesday in Passi City.

Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, Western Visayas police chief, and Passi City Mayor Stephen Palmares graced the event.

A groundbreaking ceremony was subsequently held at the site of the future IPPO headquarters located at Barangay Sablogon.

Presently, the IPPO headquarters is located at Camp Francisco Sumagaysay in Sta. Barbara town.

The property for the future IPPO headquarters was donated by the local government of Passi City.

Nestled on a two-hectare lot, the area will provide enough space for improvements as stipulated in the Camp Development Plan.

Colonel Gilbert Gorero, Iloilo police chief, said the transfer of the IPPO Headquarters is also in compliance with the program of PNP chief General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan on the decongestion of PNP camps.

“The area where the IPPO Headquarters stands at present has no room for the construction of additional facilities and offices. The lot donation of Passi City is so timely that PRO6 considers the relocation thereat,” Gorero said.

Camp Sumagaysay sits on just 6,680 square meters area.

Being at the center of Iloilo, Gorero said the new site is more accessible to the Ilonggos and other police units in the province.

Meanwhile, Mayor Stephen Palmares has acknowledged the positive impact of this development on his city.

Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, Western Visayas police chief, said the PNP is mulling to expedite the realization of the project to give Iloilo cops better office buildings and other facilities.

He added that Cascolan would be supportive of the project “because putting a premium on the welfare of PNP personnel is among his top agenda.”

It can be noted that Cascolan is set to visit PRO-6 today, October 15, for the inauguration of various projects in Camp Delgado.

Today’s visit marked his first stop in the region after he was designated as the Chief of the PNP.

Cascolan, while born and raised in Cordillera, is no stranger to Iloilo.

Apart from having served the Ilonggos for several years, he is deemed an “Ilonggated” officer, a colloquial term for men in uniform who married a native of Iloilo.

In Cascolan’s case, his wife is Amelia Tanalgo, a native of Sta. Barbara town.

He served PRO-6 as the deputy regional director for administration in 2016.