MANILA, Philippines?The Philippine National Police Tuesday said it will start accepting applications for gun licenses under a new firearms amnesty program on Aug. 1.

The amnesty program, approved by Malacañang earlier this month, aims to reduce gun-related violence in next year?s presidential election.

Police estimate there are roughly 1.1 million unregistered firearms around the country.

At the launch of its national secretariat for the Firearms Control Program Tuesday, police officials said the amnesty is also aimed at encouraging legitimate gun owners to register their unlicensed firearms or renew licenses for those with expired permits.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?s Executive Order 817, dated July 7, grants a ?final general firearms amnesty? from Oct. 1 to 31.

?All loose firearms holders, be they with expired licenses or unregistered firearms, shall be encouraged and be given an opportunity to obtain the required firearms licenses,? the President said in the order.

Although the final amnesty will be in October, police officials said they will open the processing phase this Saturday.

The National Firearms and Explosives Division, regional police offices, provincial commands and police stations are all authorized to accept and process unregistered guns.

PNP?s Civil Security Group (CSG) also announced a unique recycling program that will beat swords into plowshares, so to speak.

Rusty, unusable handguns will be turned into garden hoes, rakes and scythes, said CSG Chief Supt. Ireno Bacolod.

?All confiscated or surrendered firearms, if they can still be used by the military or PNP, will be used. All the others will be destroyed, then will undergo smelting and molding to turn them into farm implements,? Bacolod told the Inquirer.

?The farm implements will be given to rebel returnees,? said Bacolod.

This program was earlier tried in the Visayas, said Bacolod, where several old firearms were surrendered by rebels who returned to the government fold.

?If we are going to (recycle) in bulk, we will enter into an agreement with [a smelting plant that could remold the metal components]... It?s really a great program,? he said.