POLICE Regional Office 8 (PRO8) director, Brigadier General Bernard M. Banac on Tuesday said they will fully secure a ‘cargo lane’ for agriculture and fishery products to be put up in Eastern Visayas as part of the food security program of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr.

The PRO8 director, in a report to Philippine National Police Officer-in-Charge (PNP-OIC), Lieutenant Gen. Vicente D. Danao Jr. said the ‘cargo lane’ security is but one of the measures they discussed with Region 8 Department of Agriculture regional director Angel C. Enriquez during a meeting at the PRO8 headquarters in Palo, Leyte last Thursday.

PRO8 Regional Chief of Staff, Colonel Michael A. David and all PRO8 provincial and city directors as well as the different chiefs of police and municipal agriculturists in the region attended the meeting.

The PRO8 and the local agriculture department met to discuss issues and concerns in the agriculture sector amid the pronouncement of PBBM that food security will be one of his priority programs. President Marcos also decided to head the DA in a concurrent capacity.

Banac said they will be fully securing ‘cargo lanes’ or areas in the region where agricultural and fishery products are being transported via air, water and land.

He added that truckers and suppliers will be given priority for entry to the cargo lanes.

PRO8 personnel will also be assisting the DA in validating and monitoring the situation in rebel-infiltrated areas in the region. The local police will be fully securing these vulnerable areas amid continuing threats from the New People’s Army.

Last Saturday alone, NPA guerrillas ambushed a group of policemen engaged in a humanitarian activity in poor communities in Gandara, Samar killing Patrolman Mark Mongre. Lt. Gen. Danao condemned the NPA attack and vowed full justice for the slain policeman.

Banac said they will also be providing full assistance to truckers, suppliers as well as farmers and fishermen during the distribution and transport of farm inputs and machineries especially in so-called Geographically Isolated and Disadvantageous Areas in the region.

The PRO8 will also help strengthen the implementation of Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act in Eastern Visayas to prevent unscrupulous traders and businessmen from taking advantage of emergency situations and like occasions to jack up prices of goods.

“We will be monitoring presence of hoarding, smuggling, profiteering, price manipulation and other similar unlawful acts,” Banac said.

The PRO8 director added they are also embarking on a ‘self-sustainability program’ inside the Eastern Visayas police headquarters and other camps in the region thru their ‘Gulayan sa Kampo’ program in which cops are being trained to plant crops and vegetables in vacant lots in their areas which they could eventually harvest and cook.

Banac said they are also providing the DA with assistance in the enforcement of regulatory measures to prevent and manage pests and other diseases which affect agricultural crops.

“We are all-set to provide adequate assistance to the DA in terms of logistical support and food mobilization to ensure stable food supply and price of of goods especially during calamities and other emergency situation,” the official told the Journal Group.