Security tightens for Boracay ASEAN meetings

Security forces will be deployed for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit meetings in Boracay Island for the coming weeks.

The famous island will be hosting the 23rd Meeting of ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights  (AICHR) on February 13-15; ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) Retreat (CPR, SOM, Ministers) on February 19-21 and the ASEAN Committee on Migrant Workers (ACMW) Meeting on February 21-22.

Hundreds of policemen will be on duty to secure the participating government leaders, dialogue partners and the delegations of the 10-member bloc for the duration of international events, according to Superintendent Pedro Enriquez, deputy Aklan police director.

Boracay is beefing up its security efforts in ports, airports,  roads, coastlines, hotels and main venues while other security units from Armed Forces would be on standby to help the police to ensure the safety of delegates.

Boracay Action Group and force multipliers will assist also the police for the intensified comprehensive security arrangement in the island. 

Last year, Chief Superintendent Nestor Bergonia, head secretariat, convened the security forces and the Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO) for the security preparations.

Iloilo City will be hosting also the 22nd SOCA Meeting and 17th ASEAN Socio Cultural Community (ASCC)  Council Meeting on March 6-9; ASEAN Military Operations Informal Meeting (AMOIM), ASEAN Military Intelligence Informal Meeting (AMIIM) and ASEAN Chiefs of Defense Forces Informal Meeting (ACDFIM) on March 6-10 and the 3rd ASEAN-OECD Good Regulatory Practice Network Meeting on March 14-15.

It will be the third time for the Philippines to host an Asean Summit. The country hosted the 3rd ASEAN Summit in Manila in 1987 and the 12th ASEAN Summit in Cebu in 2007.

The Philippines will be hosting the 50th founding anniversary with the theme “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World.”

ASEAN is the political and economic union of countries in the region, namely, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL