BACOLOD CITY – The city government is planning to enter into a public-private partnership to establish a P2.2-billion centralized command system.
THE construction of the Bacolod City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Command Center in Barangay Taculing is ongoing. (Photo courtesy of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Bacolod)
In a media briefing on Monday, September 9, Mayor Albee Benitez said that the projected budget is subject to a Swiss challenge.
Benitez said that they are targeting the full implementation of the project in 10 years. “This is under the build, operate, and transfer (BOT) modality,” he added.
He said that the construction of the Bacolod City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Command Center is ongoing.
It is located on Sardonyx St., Purok Sunflower, beside the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Engineering Office in Barangay Taculing.
Benitez said the city government has spent P60 million for the construction of the building.
He said the concept of the command center is to extend its monitoring activities through closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the entire city. “We want Bacolod to be a safe place, and that is what we put a price tag on,” he added.
Coupled with modern technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Benitez said that law enforcers would be able to capture crimes and violations, allowing them to quickly respond to any incident and apprehend offenders.
The centralized command system will link various agencies to respond to crime, fire, traffic, and disaster.
“We would like it to be as modern as possible. All of these that we are doing is really aligned towards a concept of becoming a super city,” Benitez said.