Councilor Labra wants Oplan Pakigsandurot institutionalized

After more than four months since Oplan Pakigsandurot was relaunched, Cebu City Councilor Paul Labra II vowed to institutionalize the program, aiming to further strengthen and prolong its implementation even with possible administration shifts in the coming years.

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To recall, Oplan Pakigsandurot is a community-based anti-crime program in the city initiated with the hope of building stronger connections between the barangay, the police, and the city government.

It was first launched in 2001 under the administration of then-city mayor and now incumbent Vice Mayor Tomas “Tommy” Osmeña.

Led by Labra, a retired police brigadier general and currently serving as the chairman of the peace and order committee of the city council, the program was revitalized earlier this year in July.

The pilot relaunch was held in Barangay Luz and was followed by the other 79 barangays in the north and south districts of Cebu City.

In an interview yesterday, Labra said that his office is now crafting legislative measures aimed at sustaining and intensifying Oplan Pakigsandurot.

This comes after the revitalization of the program had a positive impact on the prevention and reduction of criminal activities in the city's barangays.

"Yes, we will. We believe that this will help not only the police but the community itself," said Labra.