MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) would soon establish assistance centers in villages that would be manned by at least two police officers to improve police visibility in the community.
"Well, we would deploy at least two [policemen] and everything will be coordinated with the police stations. And in so doing we would want to initiate, they will have direct contact with their operational units in the area," PNP chief, Gen. Camilo Cascolan, told reporters in Camp Crame on Monday.
Through this measure, Cascolan hopes that other government agencies would also put up assistance centers in villages to better serve the public.
He added that the PNP would continue to work with village officials through its Barangay Covid Defense program to ensure that quarantine protocols are strictly observed.
“Your barangay enforcement teams will also be there. They will be assisting most especially when it comes to social distancing and the strict implementation of anti-Covid-19 protocols. We will be there. As I have said we will double our visibility. The PNP has been doing this even before always,” said Cascolan.
Meanwhile, Cascolan also assured continued assistance to the Department of Education through providing manpower support in the distribution of learning materials and modules for students as the school year 2020-2021 officially opened.
“Although not all of the learners at different levels will go back to school (physically) this year due to health safety issues. In some schools that will open for blended learning methods, the PNP will be on hand to provide police security and reassuring presence to address perennial law enforcement and public safety concerns in campuses and school zones, particularly in university belt areas of urban centers,” said Cascolan.
Meanwhile, PNP deputy chief for administration, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said the police force has also intensified its enforcement of local ordinances aimed at ensuring that learners would not be disrupted during online classes.
Among these are ordinances against drinking in public and ordinances regulating the use of videoke.
“Our local police personnel and barangay officials should work together to extend all the necessary assistance to make sure that our online learners would be able to concentrate on their study,” said Eleazar, who is also commander of the Joint Task Force Covid Shield.
Eleazar said that every home should be conducive for learning and the least that the police, in partnership with the barangay officials, could do is to minimize the unnecessary noise especially coming from quarantine violators. (PNA)
