DAGUPAN CITY - With dedication and sincerity, various non-government organizations vowed to render their voluntary services in keeping Dagupan a happy and safe community.

The Expanded Task Force Bantay Dagupan, created to help prevent and suppress criminality in the city was formally launched during the 59th Agew na Dagupan commemorative program on June 20 at the city plaza. The memorandum of understanding was also signed by both parties.

Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) chief Robert Erfe-Mejia said that the task force is tasked to focus its volunteer service network so as to enhance intelligent gathering and emergency response capability within the community by rendering “on call” volunteer assistance to the police authorities, the City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC), Peace and Order Council (POC) and POSO with focus on traffic and crowd control, and rescue and relief operations during emergencies and special events.

“Expanded Bantay Dagupan shall now include sectoral membership from active non-government organizations representing the media, professional and business groups, women and education sectors and the civic groups,” Erfe-Mejia said even as he called the members of these volunteer groups as ‘day-to-day unsung heroes’.

Mayor Benjamin S. Lim earlier created the original Task Force Bantay Dagupan through executive order no. 34 series of 2001 with the Dagupan Practical Shooting Association Inc. (DPSA) as the core partner of the city government.

As a civilian anti-crime task force, Task Force Bantay Dagupan has been an effective and efficient multiplier of the local police force. The task force expansion was based on E.O. 162 series of 2006 and Sangguniang Panlungsod resolution no. 3501 with Councilor Joey Tamayo as the author.

Erfe-Mejia emphasized that the undertaking is a result of a collective and cooperative effort initiated by active civic groups and NGOs based in the city which are institutions and vanguards of public order and safety dedicating their time and effort to make Dagupan a safe place to live in.

The volunteer group-members of the Expanded Force Bantay Dagupan is composed of the members of PANDA; Delta Communicators, Inc.; Dagupan SPECTRUM Communications, Inc.; DPSA; Phil. Guardians Brotherhood, Inc.- Bayang Dagat Chapter; Phil. Guardians Brotherhood Inc. - Bayang Bangus Chapter; Bangus Riders of Dagupan, Inc; Rotary Club of Dagupan East; Rotary Club of Dagupan; Kabalikat Civicom; Assistance Communication Traffic Information, Inc.; the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints - Dagupan Chapter; Riders Association of Dagupan, Inc.; Police Hotline Action ng Bayan; and Scooters Riders of Dagupan. (CIO/Sunshine D. Robles)