A total of 114 police personnel from across the Negros Island Region completed a three-day VIP Security and Protection Orientation Training on September 18, 2026, according to the Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR).
The closing ceremony was held at the NOcPPO Grandstand inside Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano Sr., Barangay Estefania, Bacolod City.
Four Provincial Units Represented
Participants were drawn from four police units under PRO NIR: the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, the Siquijor Police Provincial Office, and the Bacolod City Police Office.
The combined pool of 114 graduates represents a broad cross-section of the regional police force tasked with protective security duties across the Negros Island Region.
Closing Ceremony Led by Deputy Regional Director
PRO NIR Regional Director Police Brigadier General Rudecindo Reales was represented at the ceremony by PBGen. Villaflor Bannawagan, the deputy regional director for administration.
Also present were PCol. Benjamin Gabriel Jr., head of the Regional Police Security and Protection Unit (RPSPU); PLtCol. Leo Estopa, assistant chief of the Regional Explosive and Canine Unit; PLtCol. Rommel Zagala, assistant head of the RPSPU; and PCpt. Crisanto Benigay of the Regional Operations Division.
Course Curriculum and Instructors
The RPSPU conducted the training, with PLtCol. Zagala serving as lead instructor and PSMS Felomino Celestre Jr. as senior instructor, PRO NIR said.
The curriculum covered security protocols, motorcade operations, advance security procedures, site surveys, and close protection drills and scenarios. Participants engaged in both classroom discussions and hands-on practical exercises throughout the three-day course.
The training concluded with a capability demonstration in which graduates applied the procedures they had studied in simulated protective security scenarios.
Bannawagan: ‘What You Prevent from Happening’
In his remarks at the closing ceremony, PBGen. Bannawagan congratulated the graduates and framed VIP security work as a duty extending well beyond basic escort functions.
“Your duty is not merely about accompanying or guarding a VIP. It is about protecting lives, ensuring safety, and giving people the confidence that someone is there to look after them,” Bannawagan said.
Bannawagan told participants that effective security relies as much on preparation, sound judgment, and teamwork as on how officers respond when an incident occurs.
“Your success is not measured only by what happens during an assignment, but also by what you prevent from happening,” he said.
He urged the newly trained personnel to remain observant, stay composed under pressure, and uphold integrity in all protective security assignments.
Part of PRO NIR’s Capability-Building Program
PRO NIR described the training as part of its continuing effort to develop personnel who are disciplined, alert, and operationally ready for protective security assignments throughout the Negros Island Region, according to the regional office’s statement.
By the Numbers
- 114 — police personnel who completed the training
- 3 — duration of the course in days
- 4 — police units represented (Negros Occidental PPO, Negros Oriental PPO, Siquijor PPO, Bacolod City Police Office)
- September 18, 2026 — date the training closed at Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano Sr.
Why This Matters
The completion of this course expands the pool of trained VIP security personnel available across the Negros Island Region, covering Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, and Bacolod City. PRO NIR has framed the training as part of a sustained regional capability-building drive, signaling continued investment in specialized police competencies beyond routine patrol and law enforcement duties. The emphasis on prevention, advance procedures, and simulated scenarios reflects a structured approach to protective security readiness at the regional level.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of PRO NIR / PNP
