Lomibao inaugurates new NPD building

Outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao, on the eve of his retirement, graced the inauguration of the Northern Police District (NPD) Annex Building in Kaunlaran Village, Caloocan City yesterday.

Joining him were Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) Chairman Ephraim Genuino, Taiwan trade representative John Chen, members of the Fil-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Incorporated (FCCCI), led by Felix Tong and members of the Camanava Filipino-Chinese community, led by Dr. Robin Sy.

Also present were members of the Caloocan City Council.

NPD director Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil said the construction of the P5.2-million NPD annex building was a joint project of the Office of the President’s Serbisyo Muna Program and Pagcor, which gave the initial amount of P.5 million in February this year to begin construction.

Phase 1, built at P2.1 million, will house the District Intelligence and Investigation Division (DIID), the District Directorate for Operation (DDO) and the District Directorate for Administration (DDA).

The construction of the building was also part of Lomibao’s program "Building a Strong Republic by means of building stronger police stations," Bataoil added.

Lomibao said it was his personal desire to improve the working condition of police personnel to allow them to perform better.

"Through this, the PNP is sending a sense of security and protection to the community they are serving," said Lomibao, who turns 56 today.

Director General Oscar Calderon replaces him as new PNP chief.

The NPD building is the 54th, the newest and the last police station in the country he is inaugurating before officially retiring today. He said these stations are concentrated in either crime-prone, tourist-oriented or insurgency-affected areas.

Lomibao said 51 more are ongoing construction.

The outgoing police chief also turned over a brand new Toyota Hi-Ace that will see service as the NPD Health Service Unit ambulance.

Lomibao and Bataoil lauded the Filipino-Chinese community present at the gathering for their participation and support of the NPD Scholarship Fund.

Initial beneficiaries were the children of the late newspaperman Albert Orsolino, who was murdered in an ambush in mid-May this year.