In the wake of a peaceful holiday season, the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO6) is now channeling its efforts into ensuring the safety of two major cultural festivals in the region: the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo and the Dinagyang in Iloilo City. Regional director Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky shared these plans during a press conference held on January 6, 2025, in Iloilo City.
The Ati-Atihan festival, scheduled for January 19, will see the deployment of 1,700 police officers in Kalibo, with additional forces ready to step in if required. Meanwhile, the Dinagyang Festival, taking place from January 24 to 26, is also in the final stages of its security preparations. The Iloilo City Police Office is actively coordinating with festival organizers to ensure a secure environment.
Brig. Gen. Wanky mentioned that officers from Kalibo will also be deployed to Iloilo City for the Dinagyang Festival, anticipating the arrival of VIPs. Initially, the plan was to deploy 2,000 security personnel for this event.
Discussions are ongoing regarding the potential use of signal jamming to prevent bomb detonations via cellular phones. However, Wanky emphasized that if the area can be secured without it, they would opt out of using signal jamming to avoid inconveniencing festival-goers. Continuous meetings with other law enforcement agencies are being held to assess the necessity of such measures.