WITH NO disruption in communication signals during the country’s hosting of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit on Nov. 11-14, Security Task Force Commander Napoleon C. Taas appealed to the public to help monitor suspicious activities and personalities in their communities. “We can’t do this alone. We need your eyes and ears. Please report to us anything that you think is happening in your area that is out of the ordinary and might affect our preparations for the summit,” Mr. Taas said in a statement released by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). The public can call 911 or text the police hot line 2920. The ASEAN Committee on Security, Peace and Order, and Emergency Preparedness and Response (CSPOEPR) has announced that there will be no frequency jamming during the duration of the event. DILG Officer-In-Charge Catalino S. Cuy, concurrent CSPOEPR chairperson, said it was decided that cutting off the signals of the country’s telecommunication networks could “do more harm than good.” Mr. Cuy said, “We have considered all of these things and we have decided not to implement signal jamming during the summit because it might even work to our disadvantage in terms of monitoring the situation on the ground.” He added that President Rodrigo R. Duterte also ordered that there should be “minimal inconvenience to the public” while “addressing all possible security threats.” Malacañang has declared Nov. 13-15, the schedule of the main activities, as a holiday in the areas that will be affected by the summit, namely: the National Capital Region and the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan.

See related story on DILG bares flight rest rictions for ASEAN Summit at https://goo.gl/KzAD7C

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR