Tuguegarao City, Cagayan – Sec. Jose D. Lina of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will lead the mass graduation ceremony of the Barangay Tanods (BTs) in the 27 municipalities of the Province of Cagayan on May 22, 2003 at the Peoples’ Gym of this City after some Barangay Tanods have undergone and completed the extensive Skills Training conducted by the Philippine Safety College (PPSC) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The Skills Training is the 2^nd Phase under the “Professionalizing the Barangay Tanods Project” of the Department. The training includes self-defense, patrolling and ronda operation, basic intelligence investigation, traffic regulation and crowd control and the like. This project aims to impart knowledge and skills as well as form attitudes relevant to the campaign against criminality and maintenance of peace and order in our communities.

The awarding of Certificates of Completion and Merit to outstanding trainees will highlight the graduation ceremony. This ceremony serves as a commencement in building a stronger partnership of the Department with the BTs and the PNP to have an improved peace and order condition in the Province.

The USEC for Peace and Order, Hon. Marius P. Corpus will join Sec. Lina for the turn-over of two-fire trucks to the Bureau of Fire Protection-R02, Radio equipment and patrol car to PNP-Tuguegarao City and for the launching of Patrol 117.