The City of Sto. Tomas is one of the first city governments in the province of Batangas to establish close coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP) in order to improve peace and order, as well as disaster response, in times of emergency or calamity.
With assistance from the PNP, city officials led by Mayor AJAM, implemented a comprehensive SWAT training program, complete with the provision of firearms equipment. To further improve the skills of peace and order officers, an AJAM Marksmanship & Proficiency Training was conducted.
In celebration of the 29th month of Community Relations, the city government of Sto. Tomas, Batangas distributed to its Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.) police force new combat equipment
A three-PAC Base was installed in Barangays San Miguel, San Luis, and Sta. Anastacia, together with a Blue Cops Mobile Substation on Wheels (BMW).
The city government likewise put into operation a License-to-Own-and-Possess-Firearms (LTOPF) caravan to encourage Tomasinos to register their firearms.
To increase street visibility, there is an on-going installation of streetlights in about 46 lamp posts in the city.
DISASTER RESPONSE
City officials saw the wisdom of beginning the meticulous task of disaster preparedness with the erection of detailed infrastructure that addressed flooding.
A 521.3 meter-flood control barrier and slope protection was erected in Barangays San Antonio, San Miguel, and San Roque.
Still ongoing is the construction of a 478-meter barrier covering Barangays San Miguel and San Roque.
The city government continuously increased and expanded the construction of Santo Tomas’ climate-resilient drainage canal: 1,796 meters (2022), 1,168 meters (2023), and 1,629 meters (2024). By 2024, the city had improved the canal by expanding it to some 4,593 meters.
The Sto. Tomas LGU likewise procured vehicles and equipment to enhance its capability to address peace & order and disaster preparedness. These include: three new transport vehicles, eight ambulance vehicles, two mobile restrooms, two rescue boats, 97 radios and an 8,000-liter water tanker. Two ambulance vehicles were likewise donated for use in Barangays San Roque & San Francisco.
In the course of disaster response efforts, the city government provided timely assistance to families affected by Super Typhoon Kristine. Another 1,500 households in the city benefited from water rationing during the height of El Niño.
LAND USE POLICIES
The city government made it a policy not to grant development permits for projects with no development activity policy. However, in cases when a national agency of the government has granted approval to a development project, the City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas will have to accommodate.
It accomplished the final draft of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) for the City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas. The last time this was implemented by an elected mayor was from 1998 to 2008.
Drone surveys for purposes of mapping disaster preparedness and for income generation were likewise conducted.
AWARD
The City of Sto. Tomas in Batangas is awarded the 24th Gawad Kalasag Seal and Special Award for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) and Humanitarian Assistance
The city government received the Gawad KALASAG (KAlamidad at sakuna LAbanan, SAriling Galing ang kaligtasan) Award for its painstaking efforts to achieve disaster preparedness, responsiveness, rehabilitation, and resilience.
It is the first time that the City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas received the Gawad KALASAG award in the 23 years since the award was given by the Office of Civil Defense of the Department of National Defense (DND).
FUTURE PLANS
For the year 2025, the city government has identified the need to further upgrade its disaster-response and peace and order capabilities.
It will do so by purchasing the following: public address system, S.W.A.T. vehicle, mobile water purifier truck, and motorcycle unit fire extinguisher, which is the first-response at the barangay level.
Plans are also underway to purchase a lot for the development of a Resettlement site to permanently transfer residents living in flood-prone areas.
