PRO-6’s ‘Batang Pandilla Project’ now a best practice

The Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 cited the officers behind the Batang “Pandilla” Project” Monday morning at Camp Delgado in Iloilo City.

The awardees were Police Colonel Eric G Dampal, Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director; Police Major Juvy E Cordero, Chief of the ICPO Women and Children’s Protection Desk (WCPD); Police Captain Shella Mae A Sangrines, Former ICPO WCPD chief; Police Captain Mona Guia Menez, Chief of the Regional WCPD as Batang “Pandilla “ Project Implementers; and PEMS Ruth T Laudato, Chief Clerk of the WCPD/Project Owner/Focal Person.

The recognition follows the confernment of the Best Practices citation to the project held last Nov 26, 2020 at the Rio Hall of Camp Delgado. Brig. Gen. Patrick T Villacorte, Deputy Regional Director for Administration of PRO6, led the event.

This project was adopted from Iloilo City Police Office‘s  Project B.O.N.G. (Bringing Order to the Nemesis of Gangs) which was renamed as Batang “Pandilla Project via Resolution No. 2019-002.

This project was designed to address gang menace, Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL), Child at Risk (CAR) and the vulnerability of youth in coping/handling stress brought about by the environment.

Its objective is set out a God-centered individual who are able to manage their emotional and physical well-being, to become a well-developed and respective citizens who are motivated to produce quality roots of success for a brighter future. It also aims empower them to become productive members of the society.

There are 6 phases of Batang Pandilla Project:

First is Identification Phase (Identification of different gang group, CICL and CAR); Second is the Search Phase (Leaders and members of Gangs, CICL and CAR); Third is Organization Phase (Unify members of BatangPandilla); Fourth is the Education Phase (Counseling/ Training/ Lecture/ Seminar/ Workshop); Fifth is Mobilization Phase (Community outreach program and other activities); and last is the Sustainability Phase (Conduct of regular monitoring and meeting).

The partners of PRO6 in the implementation of this project are: Department of Social Welfare and Development; Council for the protection of Children; Local Government Units; Academme; Religious Sectors; Non-Government Organization; TESDA and the members of the radio and print media.

At present, PRO6 has identified 45 gangs regionwide: 27 are from Iloilo City, 11 from Iloilo Province and 6 in Negros Occidental.

PRO6 aims to bring the “Batang Pandilla Project” as Best practice for the PNP nationwide