The Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) has raised PHP855,000 from a two-day shoot-for-a-cause fest that will be given as assistance to their sick colleagues and their dependents.

In a phone interview on Tuesday, PPPO director Jeff Fanged said a portion of the money raised during the June 24 to 25 event would be given to 20 police personnel and their dependents while the rest of the amount would be for the construction of a Day Care Center for the children of the personnel.

“The idea is for our personnel not to worry about their little children while they are at work. They could bring their children to the center. This project is aligned with the five focus agenda of our chief PNP, one of which is personnel morale and welfare,” Fanged said.

“Isinama natin yong mga dependents ng mga pulis na may serious condition (We have included the dependents of the police who have serious condition),” he said.

Fanged said Rep. Sandro Marcos personally donated PHP100,000 for the said project.

More than 490 participants took part in the shootfest. The awarding of the winners and turn-over of the financial grant to the beneficiaries will be on July 10.

Fanged said aside from this financial grant, the PPPO has also partnered with the Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC) for the medical needs of the policemen.

“We have an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) na lahat ng Philippine National Police (PNP) forces kasama ang dependents nila ay libre pag nagpa-confine doon sa R1MC. Kinuha nila listahan ng lahat ng maintenance medicines ng ating terminally ill policemen at they will also provide (We have an MOU that states that all PNP forces and their dependents will be accommodated for confinement in R1MC for free. They have the list of all those who have maintenance medicines of the terminally-ill policemen and they will provide),” Fanged said.

“Napakalaking bagay para sa ating mga kasamahan na umaasa lang sa sweldo nila, wala silang ibang income. Yong financial support na ibibigay natin ay makapagpatawid uli sa kanila ng ilang buwan (This is a huge thing for our colleagues who only rely on their salaries and have no other source of income. The financial support they will get from us will again get them through another month),” he added.

The PPPO has already conducted two other shootfests, with the proceeds from the first one donated to a religious group in Urdaneta City while the second one held in April was given as financial assistance to their terminally ill personnel. (PNA)