Over 700 security forces deployed for Buglasan Festival in Dumaguete
By Saghir Hussain ·
Over 700 police and military personnel have been sent to Dumaguete for the Buglasan Festival, a move that feels like a small‑town police force being bolstered by an entire army. It’s a stark reminder that while we in the UK wrestle with rising council tax, dwindling police budgets and a cost‑of‑living crisis that’s squeezing ordinary households, the Philippines is still willing to throw a small fortune at a local celebration. The deployment, announced by the Police Regional Office for Negros Island, mirrors a recent boost for Bohol police who received 50 motorcycles to speed up emergency response – a modest, practical upgrade compared with the sheer manpower now on the ground in Dumaguete. It makes you wonder whether the UK’s own austerity‑driven cuts have left us less able to protect everyday events, from street fairs in Manchester to community gatherings in Edinburgh. Meanwhile, the government’s claim that it “listens to the public” rings hollow when the same administration pushes a peace deal with the MILF while simultaneously flooding a single festival with a security contingent that dwarfs the resources given to local forces elsewhere. So, as the festival kicks off, the real question is: are we, in Britain, prepared to fund the security our communities need, or are we simply watching the world spend where we once led?