The city government here opened Friday a PHP20-million quick response hub for law enforcement and local government offices.

Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando Uy said the “Operation Kahusay ug Kalinaw” (OKK) facility will serve those in need of the local government’s quick response services, especially the elderly and the youth.

“We lowered the OKK center so the elderly and the young can easily access the facility. We will add more as part of phase 4 of the Divisoria Redevelopment,” the mayor said.

Uy was referring to the Divisoria redevelopment phase of Project Lunhaw, an urban design partnership project between the city government and the United Nations – Habitat Philippines’ Building Climate Resilience through Urban Plans and Designs.

To augment security in Divisoria, the mayor said closed circuit television cameras will be installed while piped-in music will be set up to entertain visitors of the center.

Aside from the Police Precinct 1 of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO), the OKK center will also house the Roads and Traffic Administration, City Social Welfare and Development Office, Bureau of Fire Protection-Cagayan de Oro, and City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Department.

Uy said the Office of Civil Defense-Northern Mindanao will provide local responders training on disaster preparedness.

Signal jamming

Meanwhile, as a security precaution, Uy said the National Telecommunications Commission already approved the request of COCPO to disrupt mobile phone signals during the holding of the remaining core events of the Higalaay Festival here.

Affected events are the rhythmic field demonstration on Friday; Miss Cagayan de Oro pageant night on Aug. 26; civic-military parade, float competition, and street dancing on Aug. 27; and religious and fluvial processions on the feast day on Aug. 28.

Uy appealed for understanding from the public for the inconvenience the signal shutdown may cause. (PNA)