Leyte brgy first to put up CCTV

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Barangay Luntad of Palo town has become the first barangay in Leyte, if not in the entire Eastern Visayas, to install its own closed circuit television (CCTV) system to deter occurrence of any crimes.

Luntad Barangay Chairman Andres Ian Sevilla said the first four units of CCTV were installed by the barangay sometime in August of this year, the procurement of which were sourced from the barangay funds, a PIA-8 report said.

Sevilla said Luntad is a peaceful barangay but still decided to set up CCTV, installed at the entry and exit points of the village of 680 residents. This decision was reached after an incident late last year when barangay-owned two mountain bikes, used by tanods for night duties, were stolen.

The four units of CCTV cost P35,000, Sevilla said, adding that Luntad has an income of about P780,000 mainly from its annual share of the internal revenue allotment (IRA).

"The CCTV really helps in our campaign against criminality, not only here in our village but even those from other barangays, because Luntad has become a sort of a shortcut in going to other points in Palo," he said.

Luntad, with an area of 3.92 hectares, is the site of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Palo, the Our Lord's Transfiguration Parish and the University of the Philippines of Health Sciences.

It is also the site of the famous Saboren Christmas House, Leyte's top attraction during Christmas, among others. (FREEMAN)