What it takes to secure 10,000 APEC delegates

The safety and security of around 10,000 delegates from the 21 member economies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation is no joke, that is why the Philippines is going all out to ensure the summit conference proceeds in a peaceful and orderly manner.

At least 30,000 personnel from various government agencies, spearheaded by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), will be mobilized during the week of the November 16. The two-day summit proper is happening on November 18 and 19.

The table top exercises and ocular inspections are ongoing, particularly for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM), Joint APEC Security Committee head P/C Supt. Manuel Gaerlan told GMA News Online.

In a separate briefing on Monday, Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., director general of the APEC 2015 National Organizing Council, took note of the P10-billion budget for the year-long hosting in the run up to the summit conference next week.

“It should be taken as an infusion of a particular amount of money that we suddenly had and then we put it into the economy,” he said, noting the figure should not be taken out of context. 

“As of this time, 18 government agencies under the APEC committee on Security, Peace and Order and Emergency Preparedness, chaired by Undersecretary Peter Corvera and co-chaired by Undersecretary Natalio Ecarma III, are in the thick of preparations for the AELM week,” Gaerlan noted.

To boost the security personnel directly involved in securing the peace and order around the Philippine International Convention Center where the summit will happen PNP and AFP personnel in nearby provinces are on call for any exigency.

"Other units not directly involved are on standby," AFP spokesperson Col. Restituto Padilla said in a separate text message on Monday.

Around 1,000 police officers will be deployed around the PICC, PNP Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) Spokesman P/Supt. Rogelio Simon told GMA News Online in a separate interview.

This is on top of the broader deployment by the AFP, PNP and MMDA.

Supporting role

The PSPG is mandated to provide government officials, foreign dignitaries, and private individuals with protective security. It mandate also tasks the group to secure vital installations and assist the Presidential Security Group (PSG) in securing the President and the members of the first family.

“Sa ngayon, we will deploy 800 personnel. Pero habang palapit nang palapit ang activities magdadagdag pa kami ng PSPG personnel. Iba pa 'yung ibang unit ng PNP and AFP, MMDA,” Simon said.

PSPG agents secure the PICC, hotels and provide close-in and onboard security to high-level officials that include prime ministers and their delegates, he added.

K-9 teams will be positioned in certain areas to ensure the delegates are secured from bomb threats and other explosive materials.

“... I'm sure that all venues, sites, hotels mabibigyan ng K-9 units,” Simon noted.

PNP Spokesman C/Supt. Wilben Mayor said there will be enough cops on the ground.

“The PNP has deployed and will deploy sufficient personnel during the APEC... We are using APEC funds,” he said.

In a separate text message on Monday, Gaerlan noted the 500 policemen that will supposedly be moved from Calabarzon to Manila for the APEC Leaders Meeting is still classified information.

The military is playing a support role in the security operations, with PNP as the lead agency, AFP Spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla Jr. said

“Roughly there are over 30,000 security personnel all in all who are helping with APEC... Not sure about the exact number at the moment. Operational 'yan kaya hesitant magbigay ang security in charge” he said.

“Special funds have been allocated for the event. Not from the regular AFP funds,” he added.

Waterborne security

All branches of the AFP – Army, Navy and Air Force – will do their own respective deployments for the summit conference.

To keep the delegates safe and secure from waterborne threats, Philippine Coast Guard Lt. Commander Armand Balilo said they are implementing maritime security.

“The PCG will head the Joint Maritime Task Force along with the Navy. We will also provide floating assets for the event,” he said.

Some 60 PCG vessels will be deployed to patrol the Manila Bay coastline. Ports in the Visayas and Mindanao will be placed under surveillance.

Along the shores of Manila Bay, a 30-yard, no-sail zone will be enforced. An exclusion zone from the mouth of Pasig River to the shoreline along Roxas Boulevard that spans the cities of Manila and Parañaque will be in place.

Vessels that need to sail through the exclusion zone must secure a special permit from the PCG, and a security escort will be onboard vessels that are allowed to travel.

“The sea is porous and basically seamless. We include in the security measures the profiling of people on the move, including passengers coming from Mindanao to Manila,” APEC Summit Maritime Security Commander Commodore Joel Garcia said.

Gaerlan noted the security preparations for the event will definitely inconvenience the public.

“Security is everybody's concern and every Filipino must contribute in his own little way in ensuring the safety and security of our guests, and making sure they have a memorable and enjoyable stay in the Philippines,” he said. – VS/ALG, GMA News