LC installs 56 more CCTV cameras

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff Reporter

IN A MOVE to beef up security in the city, the Laoag City government installed 56 additional closed-circuit television cameras around its business district.

City information technology officer Franz Felipe said eight are already fully functioning. They are cameras along Gen. Segundo Ave., P. Gomez St. several schools, the Gilbert Bridge as well as on major business areas in the city.

Felipe is hopeful the phase III of the project would be completed within this year or early next year.

The CCTV system was one of the pet projects of former Laoag mayor Michael V. Fariñas during his three terms to help the police in securing the city.

Phase I saw the installation of 16 CCTV cameras and with the additional 56 CCTV cameras, the city now has 72 CCTV cameras installed.

Aside from installing CCTV cameras around the city’s business area, Felipe said nine rural barangay have also installed their own CCTV cameras. He added that the city government is targeting the installation of CCTV cameras in all the rural barangays with the budget for it to be sourced from the barangays’ respective barangay financial aids.

In addition to this, Felipe said eight additional CCTV cameras are being installed at the Laoag City Jail. The city jail already has four CCTV cameras and the additional cameras was requested by jail warden Herminigildo Rivera for additional security inside and outside the jail.