Cotabato City second “safest” city in the country

COTABATO CITY --- Officials and residents here rejoice as no less than the Philippine National Police (PNP) declared Cotabato as the “SECOND” safest city in the whole Philippines.

This report was released by the national PNP based on records from local police units in the entire country on crime incidences in their respective areas of responsibility during the first quarter of 2018.

Cotabato City recorded only a total of 220 crimes in the months of January - March of this year.

Cotabato City came in second to Ormoc City, which has recorded a total of 134 crimes. Coming in third is Puerto Princesa with 227 crimes during the first three months of 2018.

City Mayor Atty. Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi said this report didn’t come as a surprise but still elated her all the same.

Being an active advocate of peace and order, the mayor said this record of being the second safest city in the country is a big leap for Cotabato City.

“I thought it was only in Region-12 when I heard about the report. I knew that all the efforts and hard work that we are doing to maintain peace and order in the city paid off,” the mayor added.

During her stint as chief executive of Cotabato City, Mayor Guiani-Sayadi has continuously implemented the RONDA, a peacekeeping effort with the city PNP, Task Force Kutawato, and barangay force multipliers. The team roams around the different corners of the city on a daily basis and has been successful in aiding the law enforcers in apprehending criminal elements in the city.

Because of the significant drop in crime incidences in just one year, the city’s economy has also grown rapidly. Investors, both local and foreign, have been flocking the city, with a group of Chinese businessmen committing to build the city’s airport and seaport being the latest.

“We have proven that Cotabato City can be safe for its people despite it being in the middle of insurgencies happening in its surrounding provinces,” the mayor said.

Even the business communities in Cotabato City have expressed their admiration to the efforts of the city government in making the economic activities in the city dynamic and vibrant once again.

“We have been waiting for this in years and seeing it happen today is truly incredible. Our warmest congratulations to Mayor Guiani-Sayadi and the city government of Cotabato,” businesswoman Bai Sandra Siang said.

On Thursday (May 24), Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also lauded the efforts of Mayor Guiani-Sayadi, the city police, and the RONDA team in ensuring the safety and security of Cotabato City during his courtesy visit to the city’s chief executive.

He even mentioned about the RONDA in a media briefing months ago.

Earlier this year, Cotabato City was named the “safest city” in Region-12.

With the new record, Cotabato City is now “NUMBER ONE” in the whole Mindanao. (Halima Satol)