Government agencies on Friday committed to a coordinated implementation of their respective safety measures to ensure that people are safe as the holiday rush is picking up this weekend for Christmas.

The commitment was made during the launching of the Department of Health-Negros Island Region’s (DOH-NIR) Oplan Ligtas Christmas at a mall here in this provincial capital.

DOH-NIR director Dr. Razel Nikka Hao said this is the first time to bring together the agencies tasked to provide public safety and security during the holidays, particularly on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

“As the NIR enters its first Christmas as a new region, this is the standard that we want to set: early coordination, decisions and plans based on evidence or what happened in previous years, and a shared responsibility among us and also among all of our communities to protect lives of the people,” Hao said.

Hao said as early as Dec. 15, the DOH-NIR has already initiated its hospital-readiness rounds, highlighting that “all hospitals during this period are required to have a fast lane in the emergency room”.

This fast lane is intended for incidents involving fireworks, road crashes, stroke, asthma, and heart attack.

Anybody can go directly to this fast lane at the emergency room with no hassle, Hao said.

The agencies present during the launching of Oplan Ligtas Christmas were officials of the DOH, Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Land Transportation Office.

Col. Lito Patay, deputy regional director for operations of the Police Regional Office-NIR, said that over 2,000 uniformed personnel are deployed in Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, and Siquijor provinces during the holidays.

Patay said the PNP will be in close coordination with the local government units (LGUs) and the BFP in the implementation of laws on the sale and use of fireworks, while also being in the frontline of arresting those selling and using certain types of banned fireworks.

He read the statement of NIR police director Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, who noted that the agencies’ vigilance, sharing of information, and reminders to the public are a “big help” in crime prevention and other incidents in the communities.

Ibay assured of strengthened efforts on patrols, checkpoints, and assistance desks at churches, malls, tourist spots, and other places of convergence.

For his part, Commodore Christopher Auro, commander of the Coast Guard District Southern Visayas, said they are targeting “zero maritime casualty” during the season.

Auro said the Coast Guard has been collaborating with other partner agencies during other events, such as “Undas” for security and safety measures.

The theme for this year’s Oplan Ligtas Christmas is “Pasko at Bagong Taon Ligtas at Masagana Para sa Masayang Pamilya”. (PNA)