CABANATUAN CITY – At the turnover rites of a P20-million hostel, Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali surprised the officers and men of the province’s police command with another “gift” – a 20-hectare training camp.
“I noted that whenever you are conducting a training of your men and your multiplier force, you are always scouting for a space where you can hold it,” Umali said, addressing Senior Supt. Crizaldo Nieves, the province’s police director. “We will give you 20 to 30 hectares of land where you can develop your training camp.”
Umali noted that even the shooting range of the PNP is squeezed in between structures on the cramped police compound here. The governor’s surprised announcement was made Tuesday right after he turned over the three-story hostel at the PNP provincial headquarters compound here.
His announcement was greeted with loud applause by the officers and men of the Nueva Ecija PNP command and higher PNP officials present during the ceremony. Looking at Acting Regional Police Director Chief Supt. Ronald Santos, who was a guest of the affair, Umali said “we will develop it as a mini-Camp Olivas”.
Camp Olivas is the headquarters of police in Region 3 in the City of San Fernando. Early last year, Umali as guest in a police function here, made a surprise announcement that his administration is donating a hostel “for your guests, for your visiting families, and others so that you will not be hard-pressed in looking for a decent place where you can billet them.”
At the blessing of the hostel Tuesday, suspended police director-general Allan La Madrid Purisima, who was one of the guests, said the PNP hostel here is one of its kind among the provincial police commands in the country. It houses 15-rooms, a conference hall, and is wi-fi equipped.
“We know of your sacrifices. You are assigned in places you are not familiar with and without a whimper you help us maintain peace and order in our places,” Umali said.
“This is the way of our provincial government of Nueva Ecija of saying ‘Thank you’ to all of you.” The governor, who is chair of the regional peace and order council in Region 3, urged local government units to extend similar assistance and attention to their respective police forces.
