To give due recognition for their voluntary services as peacekeepers and stewards in our respective villages, Malaybalay City’s 46 barangays held Barangay Public Safety Officers’ (BPSO) annual general assembly on January 26, 2018 at Kaamulan Folk Arts Theatre, City of Malaybalay.

City Mayor Ignacio W. Zubiri graced the activity along with the City officials headed by City Vice Mayor Roland F. Deticio and invited guests from different agencies in the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police and Department of Interior and Local Government.

Mayor Zubiri lauded the BPSO’s untiring support and cooperation who served as volunteers that contributed in maintaining peace and order and public safety of the City which he considered as one of the top priorities under his administration. He also credited the concerted and collaborative efforts of the barangays in support of the campaign against criminality and anti-illegal drugs as the City remained low in terms of crime volume.

Mayor Zubiri pointed out the challenges of BPSOs they are now facing aside from their duties, the impending threat of disaster as such they are also in the frontline being the first to respond to any untoward incident in their respective communities.

The City Government provided search and rescue trainings and basic life-saving equipment and continue to do so to capacitate and equip our BPSO-trained emergency responders.

In the program, the local chief executive also disclosed his plan for another increase of honorarium this year in the amount of P500 per month on top of the increase they received last year.

Once approved, monthly honorarium of the BPSOs will total to P2,500 that started years ago with just P700 only.

The program was facilitated by City Councilor Provo B. Antipasado, SP-Committee Chair on Peace and Order of the City.