Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) director, Police Colonel Romeo Baleros, yesterday encouraged members of the provincial police force to donate a portion of their rice allowance for the victims of the recent Taal Volcano eruption. The law enforcement official, a native of Taal, Batangas, said the allowance is a “privilege” extended to members of the uniformed service.

The said allowance amounts to P650, or an equivalent to 20 kilograms of rice, monthly.

The NOPPO director clarified, his encouragement is not mandatory but more of an appeal for compassion.

Fifty percent of the allowance, or P325, will be collected from each of the 1,971 NOPPO personnel by the finance section. The gathered donations will then be handed over to barangay officials of selected affected Taal barangays.

Aside from the Taal Volcano, Baleros also told the police officers assigned to towns and cities surrounding Mt. Kanlaon to review their contingency plan should an eruption or any similar natural calamity occur./DGB, WDJ