Ms. Veronica C. Hatague, the Acting Regional Director of the National Police Commission in Region XII (NAPOLCOM SOCCSKSARGEN), was invited by the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the region as one of the guests to grace its community-based anti-violent extremism and anti-criminality campaign entitled Preventing Violent Extremism and Criminality through Localized Community Engagement with Indigenous Peoples Organizations on March 27, 2021 at the Municipality Gymnasium of Glan, Sarangani.

At about 10:15 in the morning, Ms. Hatague delivered an approximately nine-minute keynote speech which summarized the relevance of Executive Order No. 70, also known as the End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), NAPOLCOM’s Community and Service-Oriented Policing (CSOP) System, Whole-of-Nation Approach and Whole-of-Government Approach, particularly in the delivery of basic services to the public at large.

Endowed with the gift to speak in three (3) Filipino languages (Tagalog, Cebuano and Ilonggo/Hiligaynon), Ms. Hatague fluently engaged the community in Cebuano language (Cagayan de Oro dialect or variant). For the Head of NAPOLCOM SOCCSKSARGEN, mobilizing the community to actively support and embrace the programs of the government is always a matter of communication among the people. By using a common language that is mutually intelligible between and among the State actors and the public is most often than not overlooked yet it plays the most crucial part.

Ms. Hatague commended the efforts of the Local Chief Executive (LCE) of Glan, Hon. Vivien B. Yap, MD for hosting the event in support of the National Support Unit (NSU), specifically, the RIU-XII. At the helm of the regulatory agency for the PNP in SOCCSKSARGEN, Ms. Hatague also complimented the efforts of Mayor Yap in fulfillment of the duties and functions as the NAPOLCOM deputy as provided in Republic Act (RA) No. 8551, amending RA No. 6975, and The Local Government Code. Moreover, it was even notable that the Honorable Mayor extended support to an NSU.

Bai Maya Lita Balandan Villamor, the President of Lumad Blaan United Association, was also present in the event. She was given the assurance that the customary laws of Blaan people shall form part of the proposed models of conflict resolution under the CSOP System of NAPOLCOM SOCCSKSARGEN.

In like manner, the Head of NAPOLCOM SOCCSKSARGEN was grateful and honored to have witnessed and participated in the launching of the community engagement of RIU-XII, headed by PLTCOL Narciso D. Langcauon. As gesture of good governance and practice, Ms. Hatague recognized its initiative in the context of preventing violent extremism through community-based projects and activities, especially in areas of socioeconomic and police-related endeavors for public service. In this regard, based on the performance of the police unit, Ms. Hatague placed high expectations on RIU-XII to achieve the Medalya ng Katangi-tanging Gawa (PNP Outstanding Achievement) should it continue to serve and protect the public through community engagements.