By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
CAMP BAGONG DIWA — NCRPO Regional Director Maj. Gen. Sidney S. Hernia on Tuesday (Oct. 15) inducted into office the officers and directors of the NCRPO Press Association (NCRPOPA).
The induction and oath taking ceremonies coincided with the 4th Founding Anniversary of the NCRPOPA.
Inducted were NCRPOPA President Lea Botones, Vice President Neil Alcober, Secretary Nep Castillo, Treasurer Irwin Corpuz, Sgt. At Arms Raffy Rico and Fred Salcedo.
Directors Nolan Ariola, Joseph Muego, Gina Plenago, and Jojo Sadiwa.
The acceptance of responsibility was made by NCRPOPA President Lea Botones.
“I am accepting full responsibility as President of NCRPOPA,” Botones said.
She added that the induction and oathtaking ceremonies have been postponed three times already.
“We are very lucky that our inducting officer is the new NCRPO Regional Director Maj. Gen. Sidney S. Hernia,” Botones said.
Maj. Gen. Hernia, the guest of honor and speaker, in his speech, said that he has mixed reactions such that those accomplishments were done by the entire PNP ACG.
” As head of the unit, I am responsible for all my men,” Hernia said..
He thanked the recognition of the accomplishments of the ACG that led to the series of operations against POGO.
Hernia cited that Indonesia is very strict in the operations against human trafficking as Indonesia also recognized the accomplishments of the Philippines.
He said that four years in the police service means incentives for the police personnel or 10 percent increase in the base pay.
“I have to sustain what my predecessor has accomplished,” Hernia said.
In his previous assignments, Hernia has been asking his successors to please continue with the projects that he has done and those projects that are still being done.
The first program is law enforcement with technology-based approach for the community to easily report the crime such as in 911.
He cited the partnership between the NCRPO and the DICT for the technology-based crime prevention initiative.
Hernia noted that “iilan lang sa PNP ang techie” such that many PNP personnel are not knowledgeabe enough about ICT.
As the head of the NCRPO, Hernia will level up the technology-based policy in the sense that there will be no paper and ballpen in attendance matters.
“We will really have to change our manpower with the use of ICT,” Hernia said.
He added that the NCRPO will be aligned with the guidance of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. that 95 percent of government processes will be digitalized to fasttrack government transactions and operations.
Hernia urged all NCRPO personnel to be in uniform so that they will be properly recognized.
The concerns of the people on the ground na “nausukan” will be properly addressed.
“If the information is classified, huwag nyo namang ilabas,” Hernia said, noting that there are information considered as classified.
“But we will be transparent,” he said.
Hernia asked the journalists to be just “balanse lang,” and not only report good news or “papogi lang.”
He recalled that in 1992, he was asked by then PNP Chief Gen. Nazareno to deliver a speech in Camp Dawa in Benguet, but he was unprepared to deliver a speech.
Hernia spoke then that the “Tandag Diwa Class of 1992” will be “the agents of change”, which prompted the PNP Headquarters to assign them in Mindanao.
He vowed to make the NCR a safer place to live as his family also lives in Metro Manila.
Hernia was the former Director of the PNP Anti-Cyber Crime Group and led the operations against the POGO in Pampanga.
