Tacloban City (29 April) -- The Philippine National Police in Tacloban City is ready to maintain peace and order during the Labor Day celebrations on May 1, Colonel Cleve Taboso informed PIA.

Colonel Taboso said that as always, and especially when there are special activities in the City, the Philippine National Police, is doubling its vigilance and visibility so that unscrupulous people will not be able to have the chance to implement their evil intents.

As of this writing, Col. Taboso said that the directive he received from the PNP Regional Command under General Eliseo dela Paz is for the Philippine National Police to be on heightened alert only as the Command does not foresee any serious threat to peace and order.

Col. Taboso said however, that the heightened alert may be changed to full alert anytime, by the PNP Regional Director.

The young chief of police of Tacloban said that the Philippine National Police will secure the City as labor, militant and leftist groups are poised to stage massive protest action on the eve of Labor Day and on Labor Day.

Colonel Taboso intimated that he was informed that the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan has requested and has been granted permit by the Tacloban City government to hold a torch parade, rally and demonstration at 6:00 o'clock in the evening of April 30. The torch parade of the group will start at the Tacloban City Convention Center in Sagkahan, Tacloban City and will take the Real-Imelda-Rizal Avenue-Justice Romualdez route going to the RTR Plaza.

On May 31, the same group, which will allegedly number to about 10,000 coming from the different provinces of the Region, will have a parade from the Tacloban City Convention Center to RTR Plaza taking the same route they took the night before.