MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine National Police (PNP) will put up assistance desks on selected campuses in Metro Manila during the opening of classes next month as a security measure for thousands of students returning to schools.
PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. said security preparations would focus on school zones and their peripheries, as well as other crowded places such as seaports and airports and bus and train terminals.
“We will concentrate on securing the students in school premises as well as on their way to school,” Cerbo told reporters in a briefing at Camp Crame.
Cerbo said the opening of classes on public elementary and high schools on June 4, one week ahead of most private colleges, would make the job of securing them easier for the police.
“We will be expecting millions of students from elementary, high school and college all over the country to go back to school, which is why we are setting up desks in selected schools to address security issues,” he said.
Cerbo said the national headquarters would be monitoring the situation and would raise the alert level, if necessary.
In Metro Manila, the 16,000-strong National Capital Region Police Office from the five districts will field personnel within the vicinity of schools for foot, mobile and police visibility patrols.
The goal is “zero crime incident in all school and university areas,” Cerbo said.
Motorized Anti-Street Crime Operatives will also be deployed to complement foot and mobile patrol operations, Cerbo added.