Pasig police need more phone lines, but where is budget for it?

MANILA, Philippines—This is one for the books.

At the newly built headquarters of the Pasig police, who like to call themselves “the Pasig Elite,” many of the offices lack the most important and basic equipment of all—the telephone.

Because of unpaid bills, only four telephone lines are working; 16 other offices and operating units have opted to use handheld radios, said Senior Inspector Enrico Mangila, chief of Pasig police’s logistics branch.

No phone can be seen even at the front desk where a police officer receives complaints from the public.

Only the Tactical Operation Center, office of the police chief, traffic unit, and the logistics office of the Pasig police have working lines.

Mangila said their PLDT telephone lines have been disconnected since August 2009 when they moved into a new home on C. Raymundo Street in Barangay (village) Caniogan.

Then police chief Senior Superintendent Napoleon Villegas decided to install a Bayantel wireless phone in every office, funded in part by the Maintenance and other Operating Expenses (MOOE).

However, the majority failed to pay the bills and no longer wished to apply for reconnection, Mangila said, adding that he had no idea about the amount of the arrears.

He said the National Capital Regional Police Office would only pay for their phone bills if they get their lines from PLDT.

“We made several requests, but nothing happened,” Mangila said. The telecommunications firm earlier said it had no available lines in the area.

Supt. Enrico Esteban, Pasig’s deputy police chief for administration, said they had to reduce the number of telephones because of financial constraints.

“I wish there were more support from the LGU [local government unit] because the MOOE budget from the Philippine National Police is limited,” he said.

Mangila admits that the lack of telephone lines can affect police work especially when it responds to emergency situations.

But he was quick to add that handheld radios, earlier donated by the city government, do the job just as well.

The city government of Pasig shoulders the P1,000 monthly allowance of the 300 Pasig policemen and the 2,150 liters of gasoline for its mobile cars every month.