The Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams (BPATs) operates on the concept of mutual trust and partnership among the police, the community and the BPATs in curbing criminality, enforcing the law, ensuring a clean, orderly, safe and secure neighborhood for peaceful living in the community. The BPAT has a significant role in the barangays and it is important to know the status on how they are performing in their operations.
This study assessed the implementation of BPATs in Ilocos Sur in accordance to BPAT operational components of law enforcement, community organization, conflict resolution, environmental protection, and disaster management and relief operations. The problems met by the BPATs and recommendations suggested were part of the study. Through the assistance of the Police Regional Office of Region 1 and the Provincial Police Office of Ilocos Sur, information and data were gathered through focus group discussion, key informant interview and administering a survey questionnaire. The total respondents is 1,511 BPATs, force multipliers and stakeholders from 82 barangays in all the 32 towns and two cities of Ilocos Sur.
The qualitative and descriptive research approach was used. The responses from the focus group discussion, key informants’ interview and survey were examined and analyzed. Examination and analysis of PNP issuances and BPAT Manual provisions were also conducted. To streamline and validate the data and information gathered, triangulation was applied.
Findings of the study revealed that the each of the 768 barangays in the province have organized BPATs and that these BPATs deployed and mobilized in all the five operational components of BPATs, namely: law enforcement, community/ people organization, conflict resolution, disaster response and relief operations and environmental protection. The average crime solution and crime clearance efficiency of Ilocos Sur is improving over the last three years.
As to the problems encountered, the respondents from various sectors have experienced similar problems on shortage of funds and logistics, desire incentives and benefits, coordination of activities, uninformed community about the existence of BPAT, recruitment schemes, and inadequate know-how and skills in legalities of BPAT operations. The recommendations were also similar across the sectors. A good number of tanod-respondents clamor for their individual copies of the BPAT manual. Two notable ideas that floated in the study were federalization and institutionalization of BPATs.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the performance of BPATs in Ilocos Sur is extensive and there is an evident partnership that has been established among the stakeholders.
The researcher recommends that the shortfalls and problems of the BPATs be looked into. A reward and incentive system based on the objective criteria and schemes be established to serve as motivation for BPATs, in consideration with the risks and sacrifices that they commit in taking on the responsibilities of being a BPAT member or volunteer. The BPATs was established in 2009; it is about time that the BPAT Manual be updated and translated in local dialect. The system of recruitment should be made clear to all. BPATs should undergo empowerment and training especially in tactical, technical and legal areas of their assignments, include training content on up-t0-date peacekeeping operations.
It is highly recommended that formal studies and researches be conducted on federalization of BPATs to determine its relevance, acceptability and application in Philippine settings.
The researcher chose to expound on the sustainability and institutionalization of PATs, hence, his action plan is focused on piloting institutionalized BPATs in selected areas in Ilocos Sur as a jumping board for wider institutionalization of BPATs from Ilocos Sur to the regional level and BPATs nationwide.