HINUNANGAN, Southern Leyte, Aug. 23 (PIA) -- Top national and regional officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) converged in this pacific town Friday, August 21, to witness the turnover of a new police station building that could probably become the new template for similar projects in the future.
The head of the country’s police force, Police Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, was expected as the special guest for the turnover ceremony, but his hectic schedule simply did not permit his coming, it was learned.
Police Major General Dionardo Carlos, the former PNP regional director in Eastern Visayas who is now the director for police community relations at the Central Office, came in behalf of Gamboa, and read a prepared short message by the country’s top cop.
“Allow me first to express my appreciation for everyone’s presence in this timely and significant inauguration, blessing and turnover ceremony of the new Hinunangan municipal police station building,” the chief PNP greeted.
Attending the ceremony were PBGen Bernabe Balba, the current PNP regional director and his staff; PCol. Dante Novicio, PNP provincial director; Mayor Reynaldo Fernandez; and PMaj. Dexter Edillo, Hinunangan chief of police, who received the symbolic key for the new building.
“Special occasion such as this is a move in the right direction in our PNP mission of building a decent and state-of-the-art facilities that our uniformed men and women deserve. It is a sense of encouragement to uplift their morale to better serve the country and its people,” Gamboa said in his prepared speech read by Carlos.
Indeed, the facility goes on record as the first-ever police station built with a perimeter fence around, and located in a 1,000 square meter lot area donated by Hinunangan LGU -- the common lot space in past PNP building projects was only 400 square meters, said PMaj. Edillo in a post-event interview.
The perimeter fence cost P1.5 millon and the three-story building, including the rooftop where the ceremonies were held, cost P5 million, Edillo also said, adding that construction was delayed for three months since the project’s groundbreaking.
The new features of the Hinunangan municipal police station, especially on securing the site with a concrete, steel-bar fence, may be used as the standard for new construction projects, PMaj. Gen. Carlos remarked before reading the speech of the chief PNP.
In his message, Gamboa did not hide his feelings for meeting a lady with roots in the town, pointing out that before he bows out of service, “I am proud to share my gratitude and legacy to the people of Hinunangan, Southern Leyte that will forever have a special spot in my heart.
“In this beautiful town my amazing and ever-dashing wife got her special attributes that make me fall in love with her. Not just because of her beauty, but more so of the character she embedded all through the years . . . that is, humility, the character Hinunangan possessed . . . distinct among others,” the message read, to the beaming applause of the love-struck crowd. (ldl/mmp/PIA8-Southern Leyte)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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