By CESAR JOLITO III
Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya has directed the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) to fully activate all security cameras across major areas in the city as part of efforts to enhance surveillance, traffic management and crime prevention.
“Reactivating these cameras is a top priority for us. They play a crucial role not just in traffic monitoring but also in ensuring faster response during emergencies and in maintaining peace and order,” Gasataya emphasized.
He added that upon his assumption of office in July 2025, he discovered that many of the city’s installed cameras were non-functional following the transfer of the DRRMO’s command center from the Old City Hall to Barangay Taculing.
As of Wednesday, October 29, around 30 of the 120 installed cameras are already active and transmitting live feeds, the mayor said.
Since then, the city has been working to restore operations.
The mayor added that the city government will coordinate with the Negros Electric and Power Corporation to reconnect power to non-operational cameras in key locations.
The reactivation is also seen as a complementary measure to the Bacolod Super City Project, a P2.1-billion initiative under a 10-year build-transfer-maintain agreement with High Data Infra Corp., signed in March 2025 by then-mayor and now Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.
The project aims to transform Bacolod into a smart city through advanced infrastructure, e-governance systems, and the installation of intelligent streetlamp poles equipped with high-definition cameras, flood sensors, and portable “HuliCam” units for on-the-ground monitoring.
Gasataya said the city is aligning the existing security system with this upcoming smart infrastructure network to ensure continuity and efficiency.
“This initiative is not just about technology — it’s about creating a safer and more responsive Bacolod,” the mayor said.
“With better monitoring systems in place, we can prevent crimes, manage traffic flow, and respond more quickly to any emergency situation,” he added./CJ, WDJ