Peace begins at the barangay: Tinglayan empowers its frontline peacekeepers to keep communities safer

BPAT and tanod members sharpen skills in peacekeeping, emergency response, and crime prevention

TINGLAYAN, Kalinga — Village peacekeepers across Tinglayan are better equipped to protect their communities after completing a refresher training designed to strengthen their skills in peacekeeping, public safety, emergency response, and crime prevention.

The Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) and Tanod Refresher Training was held on August 6 at the Municipal Covered Court in Poblacion, Tinglayan, through the collaborative efforts of the Municipal Government of Tinglayan, particularly the Municipal Local Government Operations Office (MLGOO), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

The initiative aims to strengthen grassroots peace and order programs and improve the capacity of village peacekeepers to respond to safety and security concerns in their respective communities.

Resource persons from the Tinglayan Municipal Police Station and Tinglayan Municipal Fire Station provided the participants with practical knowledge and skills in community safety, conflict management, emergency response, and crime prevention.

Among the topics discussed were Barangay Peacekeeping Operations, Katarungang Pambarangay, Citizen’s Arrest, and Checkpoint Procedures.

The training also included practical exercises on First Aid and Basic Emergency Response and Basic Disarming Techniques, equipping BPAT members and barangay tanods with skills they can use during medical emergencies, disasters, and other critical situations while awaiting assistance from the police or other responding agencies.

Empowering the community’s first responders

Mayor Charles Abay lauded the uniformed personnel and the MLGU for working together to strengthen the capabilities of the municipality’s village peacekeepers, whom he described as frontline responders in their respective communities.

“One of our commitments ket to sustain the peace and order in Tinglayan, and this initiative falls in that pledge. Masapul nga i-empower tayo dagitoy nagagaget nga BPAT members tayo ta isuda iti adda mismo idiay community, isuda iti first responders,” Abay said.

He stressed the importance of equipping BPAT members with the proper skills to address peace and order and public safety concerns in their communities.