Aquino heads Eastern Visayas peace and order council

From the Sun Star-Tacloban (Sep 8): Aquino heads Eastern Visayas peace and order council

Malacanang has officially sworn in Calbayog Mayor Ronald Aquino as new chair of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), amid declarations of manageable conflict and development-ready areas in Samar.

Aquino took oath before President Benigno Aquino III as head of Eastern Visayas RPOC last September 2 at Malacanang Palace.

The mayor’s appointment is pursuant to Executive Order 773 dated January 5, 2009 that provides for the reorganization of RPOC, and Department of Local Interior and Government (DILG) Memorandum dated August 11, 2010 for reconstitution of the said council.

Mayor Aquino said in a press conference Saturday that he will immediately convene the council members once he gets his appointment.

The mayor will also meet with former Northern Samar governor Paul Daza to discuss the council’s programs “so that there is continuity of important plans.” Daza is the outgoing RPOC chair.

Aquino is expected to continue overseeing the peace and security plans of the six provinces in Eastern Visayas, namely, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar.

RPOC plays a vital role in maintaining the peace and order situation in the region, as this serves as a coordinating body among the local government units.

Last July, Calbayog City was declared as manageable conflict and development-ready city by the military. By August, it was the whole province of Samar through ordinance 14-01-14.

The declarations were based on several parameters including cessation of insurgents into factions, and reduced actual and potential support system of the group in the province.

Samar is one of the areas in the country where the New People’s Army operates.

RPOC is composed of the region’s provincial governors; mayors of the highly urbanized cities; one representative of the mayors of the component cities; the president of the league of municipalities; regional counterparts from the departments, offices and agencies; and the chairman’s appointed private sector representatives.

A coordinating center is also created under the RPOC that will focus on the coordination of internal security operations efforts of civil authorities and agencies, military and police.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/tacloban/local-news/2014/09/08/aquino-heads-eastern-visayas-peace-and-order-council-364290