Update:

PLDT has Activated the Sinulog Mardi Gras route as a wifi Zone.. Click here to check the Route.. Cheers!

Going to the Sinulog festival and seeing the Mardi Gras will surely be Fun; but somehow there’s the risk of security, though alot of security personnel will be posted in different corners, it’s different when your being extra careful specially when you have friends and family with you. Being extra careful is also very important.

Sinulog Festival

Sinulog Festival

So in line with the upcoming Sinulog, here are some tips in becoming extra watchful/careful to exercise caution when attending Sinulog or not.

Here are some basic and simple tips from a friend of mine who happens to be a security personnel – for each and every individual planning to attend or see the Mardi Gras,

  1. Create visual profiling. It is creating first impressions of the persons you encounter or a matter of trusting your instinct.
  2. Be aware of the persons around you. In case of a public transport, a jeep ride for example, take notice of persons travelling on short distance. Usually a person travelling a short distance will take the front seats (on the premise that the jeep is not fully occupied). Once he/she chooses to sit at the back, start to doubt and be alert.
  3. Make human categorization. Classify each person that you see and meet. You have to create a mental database of several personalities. You must acquaint yourself of how an office worker should look like, ordinary individuals and criminals. It is important that you are familiar of their behaviors.
  4. Be aware of persons carrying something. Try to match the things he carries to his personality. Criminals are fond of disguise. In the case of a bomber for example, he has to disguise himself to avoid suspicion. That is why astute attention to simple detail about a person matters, including the things he carries. Oftentimes bombs are placed in bulky containers.
  5. Take notice of the behavior of individuals around you. This is in relation to tip number four. If you have categorized the persons you’ve met, it is easy to know peculiarities in them. Say for example, an office worker behaves differently to that of people in the market place; as such criminals behave differently to that of non criminals. Though human behavior is so complex to be understood without systematic study, and that extemporaneous assessment of a potential bomber for example could be very difficult.
  6. Always look around your area. Be sensitive of what is happening within your visual periphery. This means, you must be alert at all times. Several instances of supposed bombings have been foiled because of other’s alertness. Alertness is always paired with curiosity. An alert person who takes notice of everything that is happening around him is also curious to find out what causes such happening.
  7. Memorize person’s faces. This is essential especially for post crime incident. A vivid recollection of the persons’ faces will help in the early resolution of the investigation.

But you still need to enjoy the Festivities, don’t get too paranoid when going to the festival, just be extra careful.

To Read more about Sinulog <- Click here, for those foreign people who’s planning to see the festival.

Here’s the Route for the Sinulog Mardi Gras: Free wifi for everyone on the route too.. yey!

Sinulog Route 2011

Sinulog Route 2011

Viva Pit Señor!

Enjoy!

Peace Out!