A team from the National Police Commission arrived in Bacolod City yesterday to validate the pre-evaluation ratings of the city government, that is one of the 10 finalists in the selection of the Best Peace and Order Council (Highly Urbanized City) nationwide for 2004.

"To be one of the finalists is already an achievement," Allan Monaño, head of the validating team, said during a press conference yesterday at City Hall.

Other finalists are Makati, Davao, Naga and Olongapo cities.

Montaño said the team has already validated the first three highly urbanized cities and it is now evaluating Bacolod, and later Olongapo. He also said that what the city wants to achieve can only be realized with the cooperation of the people and the different sectors of society.

In 2003, Makati and Davao tied for first place, while Bacolod got second, Montaño said. He said Makati and Davao appropriated a huge budget for their respective POC's and another factor is the full cooperation of their Sangguniang Panlungsod and the community.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the maintenance of peace and order in Bacolod is one of his priority concerns. Only recently, he gave eleven Nissan Terrano vehicles to the Bacolod City Police Office to attain greater police visibility and quicker police response.

Leonardia said the BCPO also gets the biggest slice of the PAGCOR funds, bigger than the share of the City Mayor's Office itself.

Montaño said the results of their evaluation will be known within the first quarter since they will start validating the performances of POC's for 2005.

Other members of the validating team are Myrna Medina, Jocelyn Lagang, Elena Gonzales and Ma. Concepcion Lactagon.*CGS

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