BACOLOD CITY — The police here will impose a five-day firearms ban from February 15 to 19 as part of the security efforts during the 13th BacoLaodiat Festival.
Senior Inspector Armilyn Vargas, public information officer of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), said the move aims to ensure that there would be no firearm-related incidents in the course of the festival.
The four-day festival, Bacolod’s celebration of the Chinese New Year, will be held on February 15 to 18.
According to the BCPO, only members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement agencies performing official duties and in agency-prescribed uniforms will be allowed to carry firearms during the five-day gun ban.
Vargas said 578 policemen and volunteers would secure the festival sites especially at the Bacolod Government Center and Lacson Tourism Strip.
Security personnel will include 228 Bacolod policemen, 150 augmentation forces from the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 (Western Visayas) and 200 force multipliers.
The city’s Lunar New Year celebration will kick off with the traditional Dazzling Grand Parade on February 15, featuring a parade of Filipino-Chinese in their traditional Chinese costumes, and the 12 Zodiac Floats for 2018.
City officials and students of Chinese schools will also join.
Activities will be held at South Capitol Road and Lacson Tourism Strip from February 15 to 17; Bacolod City Government Center, February 17 and 18; and Yuan Thong Temple, February 15.
The name of the festival was coined from the words “Baco” for Bacolod and “Lao Diat,” a Fookien word for celebration.
The Year 2018 or “Year of the Dog” would highlight the Foo Dogs as symbol of loyalty and protection, organizers said. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
