By Mae Singuay and Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
About 680 uniformed and civilian personnel will oversee security measures for this year’s Panaad sa Negros Festival, which will commence today until April 23.
Task Group Panaad Festival held a send-off ceremony for its personnel at the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) in Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano, Sr. on Saturday, April 15, for the weeklong festival at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City’s Barangay Mansilingan.
The 680 security personnel were from different uniformed service and civilian emergency response teams that were stationed in different security sectors and tasked units.
These consisted of Nocppo personnel, Bacolod City Police Office, Bacolod Traffic Authority Office, the Regional Mobile Force Battalion in Western Visayas, the Philippine Coast Guard in Western Visayas, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime and Aviation Security Group, the PNP Explosive and Ordnance Division, the 6th Special Action Battalion, the Bureau of Fire Protection in Negros Occidental, and the Highway Patrol Group.
Nocppo director and task group commander, Colonel Leo Pamittan, thanked the contingents and boasted the personnel’s preparedness to secure the festivity.
A gun ban will be implemented in the entire province, including Bacolod, during the Panaad Festival, according to a memorandum from PNP chief, General Rodolfo Azurin, Jr.
All permits to carry firearms outside of residence will be suspended from 12:01 a.m. on Monday, April 17 to 11:59 p.m. on April 23, so that the festival will be “free from firearm-related incidents for the safety of the community.”
This year’s Panaad sa Negros Festival, with the theme “the promise renewed,” will be held for the first time following the three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The festival will start with a thanksgiving mass at the Panaad Park stage today at 8:00 a.m., based on the posted activities on its official social media page.
At 8:30 a.m., ribbon cutting ceremonies will be held at the Best of Negros Products Trade Fair, Food Alley, Livelihood Village, Bamboo Negrense Village, and the Animal Exhibit Area.
The simultaneous opening of all themed pavilions of the 31 local government units in Negros Occidental will be presented at 10:00 a.m.
A motorcade from the provincial capitol grounds to the Panaad Stadium will be conducted at 2:00 p.m., followed by the opening ceremony at the stadium at 4:00 p.m.
A fireworks display will be held at 7:00 p.m.
Panaad sa Negros Festival is said to be the “mother of all festivals” in the province.
“Panaad,” a hiligaynon word for “vow” or “promise,” comes from the root word “saad.”
The festival is a form of thanksgiving and a commemoration of a vow to Divine Providence in exchange for a good life.
Conceptualized by the provincial government and private sector representatives on April 30, 1993, the Panaad sa Negros will showcase the festivals of the 13 cities and 19 municipalities in Negros Occidental./With a report from PNA / MS, DGB, WDJ