Bantay Bayanihan undergoes orientation on community policing in Basilan

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jun 15): Bantay Bayanihan undergoes orientation on community policing in Basilan

ISABELA CITY, Basilan – The Basilan Bantay Bayanihan, a multi-stakeholder group that monitors the implementation of the Internal Peace and Security Program (IPSP) Bayanihan of the Armed Forces of the Philippines underwent an orientation on community policing, recently.

Around thirty participants coming from the different civil society groups, non-government organizations, some government line agencies, the military, police and other security sectors, including women, youth, and religious sectors were gathered for the baseline study on community policing  held at the Querexeta Formation Center, this city.

The Security Reform Initiative (SRI) who serves as the national secretariat for Bantay Bayanihan spearheaded the study with the support of the British Council, and funded by the United Kingdom Government’s Golden Thread Community Policing Program.

Maribel A. Dano of SRI said that the project was conceptualized to increase the public’s knowledge on community policing and come up with a community policing strategy. It added that the project uses a “bibingka approach” emphasizing that a top-down approach should not be imposed to communities but rather the communities should be on board at the start of developing the community policing strategy.

She explained that community policing is a method of policing based on the joint effort of the community and the police in working together, identifying and understanding problems, coming up with solutions to alleviate the problems, and implementing the solution.

“Community policing is not only about crime, it is about the quality of life of the community because there are issues (like poverty, access to education, poor health service) that surrounds community policing. It rests on a shared understanding of the community and the culture, concerns, and priorities of the community,” Dano said, stressing that it requires the active participation of the community from the initial stages as well as in implementing the plan of action.

Through dialogue and workshops, the participants shared their collective understanding of community policing. Each agency and organization also shared the programs and activities implemented to address issues related to peace and order.

The orientation-workshop was the first of the three waves that the project will unfurl, said Dano, which is awareness, consultation and feedback.

The SRI has tapped Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. as its local partner for the conduct of the community policing project in Basilan. SRI is also conducting the same to the provinces of North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and Sulu.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1421434356606/bantay-bayanihan-undergoes-orientation-on-community-policing-in-basilan