MISAMIS ORIENTAL — Northern Mindanao is stepping up security, strengthening economic safeguards, and expanding essential services as the nation prepares for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on Monday.

Police Regional Office 10 (PRO-10) Regional Director PBGen Christopher N. Abrahano said 4,868 police personnel will be deployed across the region, supported by intensified intelligence operations, inter-agency coordination, and on-call Civil Disturbance Management and Quick Reaction teams. He directed officers to exercise maximum tolerance while maintaining public order and protecting the public’s right to peaceful assembly.

School security has also been reinforced, with 2,550 police officers deployed under the Balik Eskwela and Patrulya ng Higalang Pulis programs. Active-shooter drills have been completed in 94 schools as of 20 July following the recent tragedy in Tacloban City.

On the economic front, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas official Noella Angela W. Pamaran cited the country’s $104-billion Gross International Reserves (GIR) as a key pillar of economic stability. She said the reserves, composed of gold and foreign currencies, help stabilize the peso, finance essential imports, meet debt obligations and sustain investor confidence.

“The faster the economy grows, the more robust our buffers become,” Pamaran said, while urging greater access to credit for farmers, particularly in Bukidnon, one of Mindanao’s major food-producing provinces.

Healthcare services also received a boost with the turnover of seven Patient Transport Vehicles (PTVs) to Camiguin — two for the provincial government and one each for its five municipalities — through the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office under the President’s assistance program.

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos led the turnover ceremony in Butuan City, noting that more than 2,000 PTVs have already been distributed nationwide. Camiguin Gov. Xavier Jesus Romualdo said the vehicles would improve emergency response and patient referrals, particularly in geographically isolated communities.

The initiatives highlight the administration’s emphasis on public safety, economic resilience and accessible government services ahead of the President’s annual address.