IN PHOTOS: Baybay City LGU inaugurates VSU campus police outpost

With the aim of improving safety and security inside the VSU’s flagship campus including its surrounding communities, the local government unit of Baybay City conducted a formal turnover of the campus police outpost located at the university market complex on February 27, 2023.

Baybay City Mayor Jose Carlos L. Cari led this ceremony together with Leyte 5th District Representative Carl Nicolas C. Cari, which was also witnessed by newly designated regional and provincial police officers and the members of the Sangguniang Panglungsod [City Council].

To be officially called the Baybay City Police Substation 2, Mayor Boying Cari explained that this new facility is expected to serve the city’s Northern district which constitutes 40% of the total population of Baybay City. 

“This project that we are blessing today is a product of cooperation between the local government, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the VSU administration led by your active President, Dr. Edgardo E. Tulin. VSU will always be Baybay’s ultimate pride and ensuring the safety and security of the constituents of this world-class institution is among the top priorities of your local officials,” the Mayor said.

The VSU campus in Baybay City alone has more than 9,000 students with 1,649 active employees. On top of this, the surrounding barangays have been the catch basin for both students and employees who cannot be accommodated inside the sprawling campus.

VSU President Edgardo E. Tulin expressed his deep appreciation to the local government for always providing important logistical and operational support services to the VSU constituency.

“VSU has become one of the country’s top universities because we always have the strong backing of our local officials. Through the years, there has always been a symbiotic relationship between Baybay City and VSU where our university provides the needed technical manpower for our locality while our local government also spearheads initiatives that will continue to improve VSU as a leading higher education institution in the Philippines,” Dr. Tulin shared.

In his speech, Congressman Carl Cari also highlighted the massive infrastructure development that's happening not just in Baybay City but also in the 5th District of Leyte anchored on their commitment to making things happen under their unified leadership mantra called ‘Lihok Baybay’ [Move Forward Baybay].

The young legislator who also leads the congressional proposal to establish a VSU College of Medicine also provided updates for his pet bill that will hopefully strengthen the local health services in the Leyte province and beyond.

“Our proposal to establish the VSU College of Medicine is now in full swing and is currently on second reading in Congress. We are doing all means to fast-track this bill because we see this as a valuable approach to providing quality healthcare manpower not just for Leyte but also for the entire Eastern Visayas region. I’m personally working hard and coordinating with VSU President Tulin on this so that we can include all the things we need for this bill in the upcoming National Expenditure Program (NEP),” Congressman Cari revealed.

Aside from the campus police outpost, the newly constructed infrastructure projects in the university Market complex also include the installation of the University Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office and a mini-transport terminal for multicabs and other public utility vehicles that ply in and out of VSU.

In May 2021, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) also inaugurated a public restroom beside the ongoing construction of the mini-transport terminal and the newly completed campus police outpost.

Police Brigadier General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil, the newly appointed Regional Director of PNP Eastern Visayas graced the ceremonial turnover of the campus police outpost where he also explained the challenges that confront the regional police force.

"Alam niyo po mababait po talaga ang hanay ng kapulisan dito sa Region 8 pero aaminin ko po na kulang po talaga kami sa mga kailangang pasilidad na siyang pwede nating gamitin para sa pagpapanatili ng kaayusan at kaligtasan para sa lahat. Pangarap po namin na lagi kayong safe at ang pagtatayo ng imprastrakturang ito ay talagang makakatulong para sa epektibong pagganap ng tungkulin ng ating kapulisan,” PBGEN Marbil said.

On this occasion, the Baybay City local government also took the chance of recognizing the regional police force for being the first responder to the victims of Tropical Storm (TS) Agaton (Megi). Mayor Boying Cari presented a plaque to the Eastern Visayas Regional Police Command which was received by PBGEN Marbil together with the key officials of the regional police force.

TS Agaton killed 212 people with 132 identified as missing. Baybay City got the most number of casualties specifically in Barangays Kantagnos and Bunga. 

Official reports also showed that 2,400 houses were destroyed and 14,100 houses incurred damages that affected 73,800 farmers and 32,600 hectares of agricultural land with an estimated cost of 3.4 billion pesos or 62 million US dollars. 

Displaced individuals have already been relocated to transitional shelters since last month with the local PNP being one of the main collaborators in community recovery and rehabilitation programs.

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