The Ark of Dagupan

It seems like the days of Noah when PSSUPT Gene Tolejano was assigned as the Regional Commander of the PNP Maritime in Region 1. Not in terms of decadence of morals but in terms of deficient service being rendered by the Police group who has no maritime asset to speak of. Alike the days of the flood- it took one man’s faith to be the difference. PSSUPT Tolejano took a leap of faith and God rewarded his obedience.

The PNP Region 1 Maritime Command was the most underperforming maritime unit in the country. They could do their job efficiently because they lacked a speed boat to stop illegal fishers who constantly bombed the Lingayen coast with dynamite fishing. They have tried to curb the illegal activity on foot and with all the small resources they could muster but they could not do it effectively. Desiring to do something different from the usual, the then newly assigned Maritime Commander challenged the community of Christians in Dagupan to build an ark (well sort of).

With the help of some Manila-base friends: The BOC Movement who visited him and Adsense, the group set out a fundraising event to raise funds for a speed boat that could help in the operations of the Maritime Police.

Seeing that this effort could help improve their beloved city, Christian Ministry Fellowship of Dagupan headed by their police minister Ptr. Jun Centeno and the More than Conquerors Business Club also rallied behind the boat project.

Last June they organized a fundraising fun run (see related article last March) that would help in equipping the police. This month a speedy watercraft was brought by the community out of the earnings of the project and formally donated it to the PNP Maritime to help them in their operations: the fruit of faith.