BALANGA CITY, Bataan – Bataan Governor Albert S. Garcia is scheduled to lead the inauguration and blessing ceremonies of the 1Bataan Command Center located in Orani town on Monday, June 8, at 2:30 p.m.
In a recent news briefing at his office, Gov. Garcia said the facilities will be initially used in the traffic and safety monitoring along the Bataan Expressway being maintained today by the Metro Bataan Development Authority (MBDA) along with the Bataan Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC) in connection with the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Convention in Bagac town on June 9 to 12, 2015.
Dubbed as an ambitious project of the provincial government, the P450-million command center will be manned by the MBDA personnel and will house the officer of the MBDA, Bataan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Office and Rescue Units.
MBDA general manager Charlie Pizarro said the construction of the said command center is currently in full swing and in time for the APEC event where finance ministers of APEC-member countries will have their official meetings at the replica of Hotel de Oriente inside the famous Las Casas Filipinas de Azucar, a heritage park, hotel and resort located at Bagac.
The command center is aimed at protecting motorists and investors along the major highways in the province including the Bataan Expressway (Roman Highway), the main artery of Bataan leading to its last industrial town located along the coastline of the West Philippine Sea, Mariveles- the home of the Freeport Area of Bataan.
“We have installed 54 closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) with night or infra- red vision in 22 strategic locations in Bataan Expressway that will monitor any event or activity along the said highway from Barangay Balsik in Hermosa to Bagac town,” Pizarro, former mayor of Pilar town, told newsmen.
MBDA monitors the daily flow of traffic, responds to accidents and augments its forces during disasters and other emergencies and others. The MBDA also helped the provincial police in eradicating highway crimes like bus robberies, hijacking and other illegal activities.
The command center will also serve as an emergency, disaster and traffic center boosting further development in the province through the maintenance or an office that will protect investors, tourists and visitors of Bataan.
