BM Lammawin pushes expansion of Tourist Assistance Desks in Kalinga, backs proposed establishment of Tourist Police Unit

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Sangguniang Panlalawigan Board Member and Committee on Tourism Chairperson Camilo T. Lammawin is pushing for the expansion of tourist assistance desks across Kalinga to further strengthen visitor safety, while also expressing support for the proposed establishment of a Provincial Tourist Police Unit (PTPU).

The PTPU, according to PMAJ George Acob, will serve as a special police unit focused on maintaining peace and order in tourist areas. It aims to ensure the safety and proper monitoring of both local and foreign tourists as more visitors arrive at Kalinga’s popular destinations.

Acob also shared during the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s regular session on May 5 that the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Kalinga is set to deploy 65 personnel to safeguard visitors in key destinations across the province.

During the session, Lammawin shared that a tourist assistance desk has already been established in Talaca, Tabuk City, with plans underway to establish additional desks in other areas of the province. He said that expanding these assistance desks would improve coordination and provide quicker responses to the needs and concerns of tourists.

Lammawin added that even with 65 personnel assigned to the proposed unit, support and cooperation from barangays remain essential to ensure that incidents involving tourists are immediately reported and properly handled.

“We have established an assistance desk in Talaca and it will really be nice if we could establish more. We will actually be having one in Pinukpuk. And while we have 65 manpower or personnel for the unit, we still need the views and partnership of the different barangays so that any incident will be coordinated properly,” he said.

The legislator further stated that the tourism sector will continue coordinating with various local government units across the province to develop plans and programs that will help monitor and protect the increasing number of tourists visiting Kalinga.

“So on our part in tourism, cooperation will be done with the different LGUs in the province so we could come up with plans and development programs on how we can really monitor and protect our incoming tourists in the province,” he added.