EditorialLessons learned

Lessons learned

-

- Advertisment -spot_img

Like a scene straight out of the movies, not a few Dumagueteños were thrown into a panic when policemen appeared in their places of work and started looking for bombs.

Armed only with sticks to poke suspicious objects from a distance and with no body armor, the policemen put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of the public.

Thankfully, the bomb threat was a hoax. However, our response did not go for naught as we may have learned a thing or two from that incident. We may have some of the best-trained bomb disposal personnel around. But sending them to an area where there is a bomb threat armed only with a stick and with no body armor is literally putting them in harm’s way.

Our bomb disposal squad would need a bomb-sniffing dog. It’s been said that it costs over P1 million to train and maintain a dog to sniff for bombs.

Thankfully, there are a few trained dogs in Dumaguete whose services may be rented, but it seems like no dog was used in Thursday’s bomb scare.

We also need to improve on our information dissemination. With only 20 minutes to react, the warning has to be out instantly. The challenge is how to spread the word without causing panic.

The Dumaguete reporters who covered the incident should also be commended for their professional handling of the incident. Unlike their counterparts in Manila who covered the tragic hostage-taking incident and who delivered a blow-by-blow account of the event, our journalists intentionally screened the information, putting out as little as possible to prevent panic among the parents and school children.

At most, the incident served as a reality check. We cannot really be complacent about our security in Dumaguete, even as we think of ourselves as a peace-loving people. There may be some elements who simply want to sow terror, which is not unheard of in some parts of the country. As such, security should be paramount on everyone’s minds.

Latest news

‘Red Tide’ up in Bais, Siaton

    A ‘Red Tide’ alert is up on two more bays in Negros Oriental, following laboratory results that showed high...

Chiquiting shrugs off Gov’s ‘mauling’ story

    Cong. Chiquiting Sagarbarria has shrugged off as a politically-motivated fabrication a report that his son, Gov. Chaco Sagarbarria, mauled...

Passing off rumors as facts

    In today’s digital world, where information spreads at lightning speed, it is more important than ever to approach what...

Storm-hit MSMEs may seek aid

    Micro, small, and medium enterprises in Negros Oriental that were hit by floods and other disasters could seek livelihood...
- Advertisement -spot_imgspot_img

Health warning up in Canlaon

    As Mt. Kanlaon in northern Negros Island continues to emit volcanic ash over the past days, people with comorbidities...

800 nabbed in week-long police operations

    Police in Negros Oriental arrested more than 800 individuals in week-long enhanced operations across the province, an official said...

Must read

‘Red Tide’ up in Bais, Siaton

    A ‘Red Tide’ alert is up on two more...

Chiquiting shrugs off Gov’s ‘mauling’ story

    Cong. Chiquiting Sagarbarria has shrugged off as a politically-motivated...
- Advertisement -spot_imgspot_img

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you