MANILA, Philippines – There will be no more policemen dressed as Santa Claus roaming the malls in Metro Manila this Christmas season, an official said Thursday.

Police in Metro Manila have decided to drop the plan this year as part of measures to step up security and protect shoppers against criminal elements, said Northern Police District Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao.

Pagdilao said he has ordered police in the Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) area to conduct frequent rounds of simulation exercises to test and retest the security system of the different malls in the area.

“The police will provide an outer ring of protection covering the roads leading to and surrounding the vicinity of malls as its primary responsibility. The inner ring covering the parking lots and the inside of malls will be the primary responsibility of private security," Pagdilao said.

Malls and other places of public convergence have also been designated as "boxed-in security zones" where foot and mobile patrol elements from the Special Weapons and Tactics unit and Mobile Force would be deployed, Pagdilao said.

In these security zones, police assistance centers will also be set up so police can immediately respond to any untoward incidents, said Pagdilao.

This new security strategy, Pagdilao said, was aimed at deterring any attacks in major establishments, after the recent explosions in the cities of Quezon and Mandaluyong.

Aside from this, Pagdilao also ordered a more intensified implementation of "Oplan Galugod" and patrol areas to "flush out from their lairs and hideouts, criminals, who have standing warrants as well as firearms, bladed weapons and other instruments of crime to preempt them from carrying-out their illegal activities."