1 week Ago
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has prepared its own security measures to monitor any possible demonstrations that cause-oriented groups in Cebu City may conduct during Labor Day on May 1. As observed in previous years, several groups gather during the holiday to air their grievances and call for action through organized rallies on the streets of Cebu City. Last year, members of progressive groups convened in the downtown area as early as 7:00 a.
m. on Labor Day and marched together to the Fuente Osmeña Circle. The attendees marched while chanting loudly, calling for the implementation of a ₱150 across-the-board wage increase for all private-sector workers nationwide.
While concerns were raised over the involvement of some minors in the 2024 Labor Day rally, the event concluded swiftly with no untoward incidents reported to local law enforcers. READ: Cebu groups call for wage increase on Labor Day In line with this year’s observance of the holiday, Cebu City police have crafted a deployment plan of a sufficient number of officers who will be tasked to ensure that peace and order will be maintained during the conduct of such activities. Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), assured that their forces are ready to secure the upcoming Labor Day holiday.
“But then again, as a matter of protocol, we know that there are cause-oriented groups that will take this opportunity, this holiday given, to air out their sentiments. And well, that is their right. Kami pud diri sa kapulisan (We in the police) has prepared sad nga (also) ample number of security forces to ensure that even though they are exercising their right to visibly assemble and air their views that they are not as well violating any ordinance or any law,” she said.
“So naa, andam ta. Atoang mga patrollers, atoang CDM (Civil Disturbance Management) contingents para sa pagmaintain sa peace and order ana nga adlawa sa Labor Day,” added Macatangay. Macatangay also disclosed that as of this writing, they have not monitored any possible threats, small or significant, that could pose danger for those planning to convene on the first day of May.
/clorenciana READ: PRO-7: Labor Day rally in Cebu City ‘generally peaceful’.
