Security All Set for Tuna Festival

General Santos City (PIA) – Security will be tightened as the city gets ready to celebrate the 17th Gensan Tuna Festival and the 47th Charter Anniversary of the City.

Safety preparations will be a collaborative effort led by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Joint Task Force Gensan headed by Police Chief Inspector Edgar Yago and Col. Renato Padua, respectively.

“Regarding peace and order, JTF and PNP are ready. We will be deploying enough to keep the city secure particularly from September 1 to 6. Additional personnel from the Police Regional Office will be assigned here. Choke points will be installed. Bomb squads will also be positioned, said PCI Yago.

Meanwhile, Col. Padua confirmed they are in close coordination with the city police for the event, adding that they too have requested additional personnel particularly for the General Paulino Santos Day. Operations will be conducted prior, during and after the celebration.

The security personnel for Tuna Festival will strictly impose the “No Backpack Policy” on the main fair grounds at the General Santos City Oval Plaza for the month-long duration of the celebration.

Main celebration areas are also considered as “no firearms zone” except for deputized security personnel stationed in the area.

Vehicle passes are also issued to regulate the flow of cars passing through the area.

Only vehicles with car pass issued by the organizer are allowed to enter the Oval Plaza beyond three o’ clock in the afternoon.

Motor vehicles with issued gate pass intended for delivery of any commodity inside the Oval Plaza are allowed to enter from 8am. to 3pm. upon surrender of the driver’s license card.

Ambulant vendors are only allowed to sell inside and outside the perimeter of the Oval Plaza if they have IDs from the organizer. (SVillacastin-Gensan CPIO/DEDoguiles-PIA12)