A whole day dry-run on the implementation of the ID system is being conducted yesterday at Caticlan Jetty Port two days before the start of the six- month closure of Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan on April 26.
Chief Supt. Cesar Hawthorne Binag, Regional Director of Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas), said the activity will ensure the smooth implementation of the ID security measure at the start of the closure.
“If there will be adjustments, at least we will be able to do that before April 26,” he said in an interview.
Binag said the staff of the Caticlan Jetty Port will be responsible in checking IDs of residents who will go in and out of the island.
Some police personnel will be deployed to provide security to them, he said.
He added that the security committee, composed of representatives from the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Department of Tourism will also be on standby to attend to the concerns of residents, workers and their staff who do not have an ID yet.
Binag stressed that they will strictly implement the “No ID, No entry” policy starting April 26.
He said that recognized IDs include barangay ID, worker’s ID and any government-issued ID, showing their home address to prove that they are resident of the island or a worker in the island.
A one-stop-shop center by the participating agencies in the rehabilitation is also established to assist their workers who have not yet been issued with ID, as well as to cater the needs of the residents.
For media, only those who are accredited by the DOT will be allowed to enter the island.
Binag assured that they are “ready” to ensure peace and order during the closure, citing the deployment of hundreds policemen to the island.
He added that augmentation forces from the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and other law enforcement agencies are also in place in the security.
Today, Binag said a capability demonstration to be participated by the Philippine National Police, PCG, BFP, and emergency response of the local government unit of Malay will be conducted at the Station 2 to show to the residents their security capability for any contingencies. (PNA)