The City Government of San Fernando launched its Command and Control Center (C3) on November 16, 2020, at the Civic Center, Barangay San Isidro.
Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago and Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin were accompanied by the province’s top leaders, including former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Third District Representative Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, Jr., and Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda.
Two officials from leading telecommunications companies in the country, Dennis Uy, Chief Executive Officer of Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. and Dennis Magbatoc, Assistant Vice President of PLDT Enterprise, also witnessed the event.
Santiago led the guests for a site tour inside the building.
“Ang pagkakatatag ng C3 ay ang pinaka-unang hakbang natin upang maisakatuparan ang adhikain natin na maging smart, green, vibrant, resilient, at technology-driven city,” the City Mayor said.
C3 is a two-floor facility with a 973.46 square meter area intended to ensure public safety and strengthen prevention capability.
Its main feature is the Operation Center equipped with an LED display billboard for faster response during emergencies. This allows the sharing and monitoring of recorded clips from the 110 bullet cameras and 16 PTZ (Pan, Tilt, and Zoom) cameras mounted around the city.
The center is manned 24/7 by trained personnel from different rescue and security departments in the city headed by Raymond Del Rosario, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer.
A communication tower was also installed to ensure data and information transmission even on “blind spots.”
Further, the City Government provided a media room inside the C3 for smoother and convenient coordination when significant instructions or alerts need to be relayed.
Santiago eyed C3 to be the “last building standing” in the city given its strong foundation and efficient structural design.
Because of its strategic location in the middle of San Fernando, C3 has very low susceptibility to flooding. Its foundations are made of steel I-beams making it resistant to earthquake and liquefaction.
This multi-million project was funded by the City Government of San Fernando thru the leadership of Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago. The mayor believes that investing in the protection and safety of the constituency is essential in attaining a sense of confidence and pride among Fernandinos.
“Lagi kong sinasabi, Fernandino ang dapat nauuna at nangunguna. Una at nangunguna sa proteksyon, sa seguridad, at de-kalidad na pamumuhay. Pero ano man ang nasimulan at natapos natin ngayon, i-alay natin sa Diyos, sa mga Fernandino, sa mga Cabalen at sa bawat Pilipino,” he said.
Alongside C3, other buildings in the Civic Center were also included in the morning blessing ceremony presided by Reverend Father Larry Miranda.
C3 was formally inaugurated in the evening with the province’s top leaders and guests.