FILE PHOTO: Deputy Minority Leader and Senator Risa Hontiveros during plenary session on February 28, 2023. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros on Sunday told the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) not to typecast and limit what women can do in the police force, stressing that they can go beyond the desk.
To recall, NCRO previously announced its plans to replace male police officers from front-desk duty with female counterparts, claiming that it is because the latter are more patient and sympathetic. The female desk officers will be called “customer relations officers,” according to NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Edgar Alan Okubo.
“Laging nakakabuti na magdagdag tayo ng kababaihan sa kahit anong organisasyon, lalo na sa ating kapulisan na alam nating male-dominated. Sana nga lang ay hindi i-’type cast’ o limitahan ng posisyong ‘customer relations’ ang ating mga babaeng pulis,” said Hontiveros.
(It is always good to add women to any organization, especially in our police force which we know is male-dominated. I just hope that our female police officers will not be typecast or limited by the customer relations position.)
Hontiveros then cited a case where a female officer arrested a wanted pedophile.
“Patunay na kayang-kaya ng mga babaeng law enforcer na maging lider, intelligence officers, even ground commanders, in the line of fire. Women’s proficiencies go beyond the desk,” said Hontiveros.
(It is proof that female law enforcers can be leaders, intelligence officers, even ground commanders, in the line of fire. Women’s proficiencies go beyond the desk.)
She then urged women within the police force to help the Philippine National Police build a “humane, inclusive, and rights-based standard of conduct.”
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Senator Grace Poe supported the NCRPO move, as it may become a “potential solution to the underreporting and under-recording especially of gender-based violence.”
“We know women to be more compassionate and more approachable, yet tough and determined,” said Poe.
“This should not stop the NCRPO, however, from continuously exerting efforts to make the male members of the police force more gender-sensitive,” she added.