TUBA, Benguet – The Philex Mining Corporation provided the Regional Special Training Unit – Cordillera (RSTU-COR),  a regional sub-unit entity of the Philippine National Police Training Service, an available training ground for the conduct of Basic Internal Security Operations Course (BISOC), Internal Security Operation (ISO) and other related trainings for it police trainees.

The use of Philex’s tailings storage facility (TSF) 2, and adjoining vicinities and access roads as training venue for police trainees was concretized by the recent signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between Philex resident manager Engr. Victor Morris A. Yodong and RTSU-COR training manager Lt. Col. Myles Angel Pascual.

Philex also allowed part of an adjoining vicinity of its TSF 2 as administration building and billeting areas for RSTU-COR’s personnel, training staff and police trainees inclusive of the conduct of BISOC, ISO and other related police trainings.

One of the main thrusts of Philex is to build partnerships with its stakeholders, empower individuals, help build self-reliance and sustainable communities and advocate peace and order within and around its areas of operation.

Through its social development and management programs, Philex provides and supports skills development initiatives that enhances the technical skills and knowledge of the residents of its host and neighboring communities, the employees, their families, personnel of local government units and different government agencies, including the law enforcement agencies within the region.

Under the MOA, the RSTU-COR shall extends in favor of Philex additional public security force and deterrence to threat groups in the area; responsible for the maintenance and security of the portal No. 2 building and TSF 2 adjacent areas that are being utilized as training grounds, observe and comply with the safety, environment and health policies in Philex, provide assistance in cases of rescue operations and public assistance subject to approval of concerned authorities, provide resource persons on security and firearms training and the like when requested by Philex subject to the availability of resource persons, ensure that the trainees will adhere to the rules and regulations, policies and laws being implemented by the PNP while inside and within the Philex premises, for the duration of the training, the RSTU-COR and the trainees will be jointly responsible or liable for the damage to property or injury that may result from intentional or negligent acts, hold Philex and its Board of Directors free from the liability for any damage to property or injury caused by the negligence or accidental act of the trainees, ensure that the trainees will replace or repair the properties damaged either intentionally or through negligence or inadvertent, inform Philex in writing of intended trainings at least two weeks prior to the scheduled opening of such trainings and ensure its full support on matters of security, search and rescue, crowd dispersal and enforcement of laws.

On the other hand, Philex will allow the conduct of trainings in certain identified portions of TSF 2 and 3 subject to the proper implementation of its safety, health and environment policies and other considerations; allow the trainees to build temporary shelters that are necessary during the training within designated areas; allow trainees access to medical assistance through its hospital subject to the availability of medicines and other supplies; upon request of RSTU-COR, provide subject to availability a medical team or staff during physical trainings, sessions or road runs; allow the use of electricity in designated areas at no cost to RSTU-COR and may provide assistance in terms of training materials or equipment and improvement of the facilities in the training ground.

By Hent

Source:https://www.baguioheraldexpressonline.com/philex-provides-training-ground-for-cordi-police-force1/