NCPO gears up for upcoming Christmas season

By Paulo DS. Papa

The Naga City Police Office is gearing up its personnel for deployment in key areas where a significant influx of people, hailing from various parts of Camarines Sur, is anticipated during the upcoming Christmas season.

During a recent media briefing, Police Senior Master Sergeant Tobias Bongon III, spokesperson for PNP-Naga, highlighted that police personnel will be stationed at malls, public markets, terminals, and churches in the city.

The cops are also instructed to make themselves visible in parishes where Misa de Aguinaldo and Simbang Gabi are being celebrated.

Misa de Aguinaldo is the early morning novena Masses held in the various parishes and shrines in the Philippines, usually starting around 4:00 or 5:00 AM. The masses span a series of nine dawn Masses, starting from December 16 and concluding on the morning of December 24.

These masses are a way for Filipino Catholics to prepare spiritually for Christmas and honor the anticipation of the birth of Jesus while the Simbang Gabi, also known as the Night Mass or Simbang Gabi sa Misa de Gallo, this tradition involves attending Mass in the evening, typically at around 8:00 or 9:00 PM.

Simbang Gabi begins on December 16 and concludes on the midnight Mass on December 24.

It's a significant religious observance that brings communities together in joyful anticipation of Christmas.

Both Misa de Aguinaldo and Simbang Gabi are deeply ingrained in Filipino culture, fostering a sense of community and spiritual preparation for the Christmas festivities.

Bongon emphasized the expected surge in crowd size even at the shopping centers and venues hosting Christmas parties, reunions, and other festive events.

In addition to managing the security aspect, he assured that measures would be taken to facilitate manageable traffic flow, with the assistance of force multipliers.

Addressing the question of PNP personnel numbers in Naga, Bongon disclosed a current strength of approximately 900 members, asserting that this count is deemed sufficient for citywide coverage.

He affirmed that there would be no need to seek additional personnel from the regional police headquarters.

Meanwhile, PLTCOL Honesto Garon, deputy city police director for administration, confirmed their focus on monitoring establishments serving alcoholic beverages. Garon encouraged bar owners to request police assistance to uphold peace and order within such establishments.

MEMBERS of the Naga City Police Office are being readied for deployment in urban and rural areas of the city to ensure that peace and order situation is maintained especially during the conduct of Misa de Aguinaldo and Simbang Gabi.

Photo courtesy of NCPO