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MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) urged the public on Wednesday to be mindful of summer vacation and travel safety tips.
The PNP travel safety tips are as follows:
For travelers using their own vehicles:
- Plan your drive. Check vehicle’s battery, light, oil, water, brakes, air, gas, engine, tires, and self before a trip.
- Install smartphone apps for road trips including those that let you select the shortest and safest routes and identifying motorist assistance points, rest stops, and police outposts.
- Documents such as Certificate of Registration, Official Receipt, and driver’s license should be kept inside the vehicle in case of emergencies and checkpoints.
- Ensure that the driver has enough rest and in good condition before going on a long drive
- Keep calm while driving and obey traffic rules and speed limits
For travelers on bus terminals, airports, and seaports:
- Arrive early in terminals, sea and airports when travelling with the elderly and children.
- Secure tickets and passports.
- Avoid wearing expensive pieces of jewelry.
- Look after belongings and constantly check them.
- Be alert against snatchers.
- If possible, travel light.
Home safety:
- Don’t inform many people that you are leaving your home unattended.
- Make sure house doors are locked.
- Make sure that appliances are unplugged.
- As much as possible, use burglar alarms or install CCTV camera. The public is encouraged to invest on high-security lock mechanisms for their houses.
- Ask some force multipliers in the barangay to check your house regularly.
On using social media:
- Do not share flight information, picture of passport and flight details, or at least wait until you have returned home from the trip before sharing on social media.
- Keep your plans to yourself and your family and make meet ups private.
- Do not post real time information of your trip. This could indicate that nobody is at home. You might have to delay posting your pictures/videos if you want to safeguard your belongings.
The PNP also urged the public to be careful while visiting a beach or swimming in pools, noting that a total of seven drowning incidents nationwide have already been reported this year.
“If you plan to swim on a beach, you have to make sure that you are in the company of people who know how to swim and know the first aid station in the vicinity as well as the PNP assistance desk”, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Bernard Banac said in a statement.
The PNP has established 4,548 police assistance desks and centers nationwide as of Wednesday to assist travelers and the general public. /gsg