ACLG and CSOs conduct Community Public Safety Planning Pilot Testing
The Ateneo Center for Leadership and Governance (ACLG), together with the US-AID ENGAGE, ADZU SACSI Office, Western Mindanao State University (WMSU), Crime Watch Volunteer (CWV), the Barangay Affairs Unit (BAU), and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), conducted the first Community Public Safety Planning (CPSP) Pilot testing at Barangay Calarian, Zamboanga City on July 15 and 17, 2014. Funded by the US-AID ENGAGE through the Memorandum of Understanding between the Local Government of Zamboanga City, this activity aimed to focus on the reduction of crime rate within barangay level based on the crime analysis report provided by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
As a take-off, Barangay Calarian, through the enthusiasm of Barangay Chairman El King K. Omaga, was the pilot barangay for the training. The participants were composed of the different sectors of the barangay represented by the Civil Society Organization (CSO) such as school teachers and principals, religious practitioners, law enforcers coming from PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines, Purok Leaders, Barangay Peace and Order Councils (BPOC), and the Barangay officials.
The participants actively participated in the group discussions and reporting during the two (2) day session course. The ACLG together with the partnering groups facilitated the process of the training to effectively devise the Barangay’s public safety plan that will address their current issue on public safety. The output of the activity will be presented in their upcoming Barangay General Assembly which will be held on August 2, 2014. The Community Public Safety Plan will then be included in their Barangay Development Plan for funding and implementation considerations.
At present, the police and other law enforcement agencies are heavily burdened to track down and resolve crime issues. As crimes occur primarily within the locality of the barangay, the members of the community can play an important part in preventing and resolving crime incidents. The introduction of the community public safety planning program will allow the community to take an active role in the prevention and resolution of crime incidents in the locality. This collaboration will make the community more participative and active in the pursuit of community public safety, specifically at the barangay level.
