By Dhel Nazario
Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez has been appointed chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council -National Capital Region (RPOC – NCR), a recommendatory body to the National Peace and Order Council (NPOC) that is led by the President and Cabinet members tasked to craft policies and strategies that will respond to peace and order problems and public safety.
Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez (Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
Olivarez, who is also chair of the Metro Manila Council, received his appointment from Malacanang this week. The RPOC – NCR is composed of 56 members, which include the region’s mayors, regional counterparts of the departments, offices, agencies and representatives of the private sector.
Following his designation, a Memorandum of Agreement has been signed by the mayor along with members of the council granting support worth P10 million from the city government of Paranaque for the programs of RPOC-NCR during a meeting at Paranaque City Hall.
The fund will also be utilized to help the council perform its mandate in promoting peace and order as well as providing and creating venues for convergence among different stakeholders.
National Capital Region Police Office Chief Brig. Gen Debold Sinas who was appointed as vice-chairperson of RPOC-NCR, presented to Olivarez the Peace and Development Roadmap and Sustainability Plan for next year. Joint Task Force-NCR Commander Brig. Gen. Alex Luna was also designated as vice-chairperson.
The roadmap focuses on the improvement efforts to combat crime and disorder; strengthened actions to resolve conflict, reduce impact of insurgency, prevent and counter violent extremism; and building drug-free communities.
Status and current initiatives of the council, particularly its role in the end local communist armed conflict (ELCAC) program under Executive Order No. 70, were also discussed.