The Regional Peace and Order Council – National Capital Region (RPOC-NCR) held its First Quarter Full Council Meeting in 2023 last March 13, 2023, with the newly-appointed RPOC-NCR Chairman and San Juan City Mayor Franciso Javier M. Zamora presiding.

RPOC-NCR Chairman Zamora took his oath of office before the National Peace and Order Council Chairman and Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Atty. Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. Also sworn in was BGen Alexei Musñgi, current Commander of the Joint Task Force-NCR, as Vice-Chairman of the Council.

Secretary Abalos keynoted the meeting by citing the functionality of all Anti-Drug Abuse Councils in the NCR and the support of Local Chief Executives for the BIDA program, the Administration’s flagship drug abuse program.

The Secretary also informed the Council of the various measures to put in place to address criminality, public safety, cybercrime, disaster resiliency, and other concerns. Among these are directives to increase police presence in local communities, interconnect CCTV cameras, expand street lighting in crime-prone areas, and revitalize efforts to confiscate loose firearms. He also saw the need to intensify disaster resiliency and preparedness by holding periodic evacuation drills in anticipation of the so-called “Big One,” a potentially catastrophic earthquake event that experts believe is long overdue.

The Full Council Meeting was attended by officials and representatives from the Council’s member agencies, as well as, Local Chief Executives, namely: Malabon City Mayor Hon. Jeannie Sandoval, Marikina City Mayor Hon. Marcelino R. Teodoro, Muntinlupa City Mayor Hon. Rozzano Rufino B. Biazon, Navotas City Mayor Hon. John Reynald M. Tiangco, Pasay City Mayor Hon. Imelda G. Calixto-Rubiano, and City of Manila Vice Mayor Hon. John Marvin C. Nieto.

Other members of the RPOC-NCR Executive Committee were likewise present, namely: Bureau of Fire Protection-NCR CSupt. Nahum B. Tarroza, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-NCR Regional Director Emerson Rosales, Head Secretariat and DILG-NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, CESO III, and National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Officer-in-Charge PBGen. Reynaldo M. Tamondong. The Executive Committee members tackled concerns brought up during the proceedings and shared their insights and directives affecting their respective areas of responsibility in response to the issues raised.

The Council took up the day’s formal agenda beginning with a formal request by Marikina City Mayor Marcelino R. Teodoro, through the Marikina Peace and Order Council, for the RPOC-NCR to facilitate the augmentation of security services covering the 2023 Palarong Pambansa which the City will be hosting later in the year.

The Council then turned its attention to the current peace and order situation and threat assessment as presented by the concerned Special Action Committees (SACs).

Additional presentations were made by DILG Project Development Officer III Kate Pabor to clarify DILG Memorandum Circular 2023-025, which deals with the guidelines governing the implementation of the BIDA program. Ms. Pabor also expounded on the BIDA program’s medium to long-term campaign against illegal drugs, including the strategic framework for clearing communities of illegal drugs by 2028, which encompasses a range of measures involving law enforcement, prevention measures and health promotion, penology, rehabilitation and reintegration of People Who Use Drugs (PWUDs) back into civil society.

The NCRPO also presented its strategy against criminality and insurgency by citing its: Revitalized police presence in Barangays program, and the Three-Minute Police Response and Drone Patrol template proposed for region-wide implementation, the operation of which was demonstrated by Quezon City Police District Director BGen Nicolas Torre III.

DILG-NCR Assistant Regional Director Ana Lyn R. Baltazar-Cortez CESO V, then presented the issues and concerns surrounding the “Drug-free Workplace” program as reported by the LGUs themselves that are tasked with implementing the same. The SAC on Anti-illegal Drugs (SAC-AID) recommended the adoption of a resolution to initiate a review of the policies on Drug-free Workplace in accordance with the BIDA framework.

Chairman Zamora bookended the proceedings by thanking DILG Secretary Abalos and President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr for his appointment as the new RPOC-NCR Chairman and appealed for the sharing of best practices among LGUs, particularly in the areas of Peace and Order, public safety, and local governance.#