MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) Operations Center in Camp Crame, the nerve center of police communications, got a much-needed upgrade with the help of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT).

National Police Chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. and PLDT Chairman Manuel Pangilinan inaugurated the facility following flag-raising rites at police general headquarters on Monday.

Pangilinan refused to say how much PLDT paid for the upgrade, which includes flat-screen plasma television sets, a wireless Internet system, and other communication facilities.

Also on Monday, the PLDT-Smart Foundation, which Pangilinan also heads, donated P1 million in scholarships for the children of policemen who were either killed or debilitated in action, and to those who would require financial assistance for their education.

Pangilinan said he would help in further improving police communication facilities.

"Police protection for the ordinary citizen, to pursue their ordinary lives, is important. If there is no peace and order, you feel insecure, that's why we need to help," he told reporters.

"This will ensure effective command and control of all PNP units anywhere in the country," Razon said. "With technology, even the smallest PNP unit is never out of reach by the National Headquarters."

The National Operations Center or NOC coordinates all troop deployment and police activities, its director, Chief Superintendent Constante Azares Jr. said.