This year’s Buglasan Festival will open on Friday, Oct. 13 with President Rodrigo Duterte keynoting the opening program.
The President has confirmed his presence to Gov. Roel Degamo, who informed the media.
The Buglasan Festival, the Festival of Festivals of Negros Oriental, is held every second week of October.
Also coming during the festival showdown is Sen. Cynthia Villar; invitations were also sent to PDP Laban chairperson Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, and to Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez. The Province is also expecting Tourism Sec. Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo, Governor Degamo said.
With the President’s arrival, security preparations are doubled, with visitors and tourist arrivals expected to swarm the Province.
Philippine National Police Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Edwin Portento disclosed that requests for additional police personnel have been granted by the regional police command.
Meanwhile, security preparations are now in place for the staging of the yearly Buglasan Festival of Negros Oriental, to be held in three major venues in the City: Freedom Park at the Capitol Area, Sidlakan Village along EJ Blanco Road, and along Rizal Blvd.
Dumaguete Police Chief Supt. Jovito Atanacio disclosed Thursday afternoon that a series of meetings are being held by the Joint Task Force on Security composed of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement agencies, to draw up a security contingency plan for the festival.
In Wednesday’s meeting, Supt. Atanacio said they have laid out the contingency measures to ensure that locals and tourists alike are safe all throughout the Buglasan Festival.
According to Supt. Atanacio, law enforcers are expecting a spike in the number of visitors converging this year for the Buglasan Festival as opposed to the previous years.
The Police Chief assured they will maximize the deployment of their police personnel, putting emphasis on beat patrols and police visibility in the streets.
The Philippine Army has also pledged to augment the troops during the Buglasan Festival, Atanacio said.
Supt. Atanacio also disclosed they have started the implementation of the security plan effective Oct. 5, which will last for a month; implementation will go on full force beginning Thursday, Oct. 12.
Police personnel from the different cities and municipalities in Negros Oriental will also be deployed as augmentation to Dumaguete for the Buglasan Festival, as directed by Provincial Police Director Sr. Supt. Portento, said Atanacio.
As for security in the outlying areas, the Dumaguete Police Chief assured they will also maximize deployment of police personnel to prevent break-ins and other street crimes as people are expected to leave their homes and flock to the main venues during the festival, he added.
Coordination meetings have also been scheduled with the different force multipliers such as the barangay tanods (village watchmen), Barangay Intelligence Networks, and other groups that provide assistance to the police, Atanacio said. (With reports from Judy Flores Partlow and Juancho Gallarde/PNA)