The Pampanga Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) chaired by Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda and vice chaired by Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda led the approval of a P40-million budget for this year on Wednesday.
The budget proposal was presented by its Secretariat and Department of Interior and Local Government-Pampanga Director Myrvi Fabia during the council’s first meeting for 2017.
In her presentation, Fabia broke down the funding of various programs, projects, and activities of the council including the 30% intelligence fund for each municipality and city of the province.
The budget will be allocated in Crime Prevention and Anti-Insurgency Program including seminars and trainings for law enforcement agencies worth P15 million; Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentive Awards with P200,000; Law Enforcement Operations including meals and fuel worth P800,000; Anti-Illegal Drug Programs for Drug Surrenderers or the “Dalan ning Pamagbayu” which was given P10 million; Administrative and Secretariat Services including construction, maintenance and upgrading of police stations worth P5 million, Conduct of Command Conferences, PPOC meetings, and PMCC meetings worth P2 million, supplies and materials worth P200,000; production of shirts of force multipliers and other partakers in peace and order worth P4 million and insurance for Bantay Bayan and barangay officials worth P800,000; and Equipment Outlay worth P2 million.
With the approved budget, the governor reminded Provincial Police director Sr. Supt. Joel Consulta and chiefs-of-police, municipal and city mayors and other members of the council to strengthen each other’s connections for better coordination in fighting the proliferation of illegal drugs and other crimes.
“I ask you to coordinate and cooperate with each other even outside PPOC meetings to fully implement our anti-illegal drug campaign to attain peace and order in Pampanga,” she said.
She added that with the said budget, the PPOC is expected to perform better in response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to double the LGUs’ efforts in the fight against illegal drugs.
The governor also commanded the Philippine Army led by 703rd Infantry Battallion Commander Lt. Col. Ramil Anoyo to continue their anti-insurgency operations as they are also included in the peace and order budget.
“I want to see in your presentation next meeting if Pampanga is truly 100 percent insurgency-free. You are also part of the P15-million crime prevention and anti-insurgency budget allocation,” she said.
The PPOC budget for 2017 was based on the Peace and Order and Public Safety (POPS) Plan for 2017 to 2019 which was presented by the Provincial Planning and Development Office-Pampanga during the said meeting.