CAGAYAN De Oro City— The city government plans to use part of the remaining 2026 budget of the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) to buy metal detectors for selected schools, aiming to prevent people carrying firearms from entering school premises.
Mayor Frederick W. Siao announced the plan following concerns over school shootings, saying the city could use its remaining council funds to procure the equipment.
“So, that's one of the efforts nga gamiton nato ang excess. Naa pa man tay sobra sa budget karon sa CPOC for this year 2026. Magamit nato sa pag-procure, sa mga metal detectors to protect possible intrusion of those carrying firearms,” he said.
(That is one of the measures we will undertake using the remaining 2026 CPOC budget to procure metal detectors to prevent the entry of individuals carrying firearms.)
The proposal was discussed as the city reviewed measures to improve school safety. However, the city government has yet to specify which schools will receive the devices, how many will be purchased, how much the procurement will cost, or when installation will begin.
These details will help parents, teachers and students understand how the plan will work and whether the equipment will be accompanied by other safeguards, including trained personnel and clear procedures for responding to security threats.
During their joint fourth-quarter meeting on Oct. 7, the CPOC and the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) also approved a proactive school safety framework aligned with Regional Peace and Order Council guidelines.
The councils discussed road obstructions caused by junk shops and repair shops and approved the implementing rules and regulations for the Drug-Free Workplace Program.
Iligan cites peace and order awards
Siao said Iligan placed second runner-up in the Safe Haven category of The Manila Times Awards, which recognized the city's peace and order initiatives.
He credited the Local Peace and Order Council and its partner agencies for their efforts to maintain public safety.
The city also placed first runner-up in the Family First category and third in the Sustainability Champion category.
Siao attributed the Family First recognition partly to programs addressing violence against women and children, including online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC).
He said the CPOC provides annual funding for OSAEC rescue operations to help rescue and protect victims. The city’s Justice Zone was also recognized for its work addressing child abuse.
The awards recognize the city's initiatives, but the extent of their impact on public safety and victim protection would be better assessed through data on program implementation and outcomes.
Foreign visits to include security briefings
City Administrator Darwin Manubag said Iligan expects visits from delegations representing the European Union, the Japanese Consulate and Ireland.
He said the Japanese consul plans to review the city's Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) report and receive security briefings from the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The visit is intended to support efforts to have the travel advisory affecting Japanese nationals visiting Iligan lifted, Manubag said.
The European Union delegation is expected to receive a peace and order briefing and explore possible assistance for the city's circular economy program, particularly the landfill in Barangay Puga-an.
Iligan also expects 15 Taiwanese tour operators to visit Tinago Falls and other attractions to assess the city's adventure and cultural tourism offerings.
“If their visit goes well, they'll be sending some tourists to come and visit Iligan City,” Manubag said.
An Irish delegation is also expected to explore recruitment opportunities and a proposed sister-city relationship with Iligan.
For residents, the immediate concern remains whether the city's planned security measures will translate into safer schools and more effective protection for children. Details on the metal detector procurement, its funding and implementation timeline would allow the public to monitor progress beyond the announcement. (Lou Ellen L. Antonio/PIA-10/Lanao del Norte)
