Police assistance desks at schools draw praises from parents

PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police said Monday that the opening of classes for school year 2013-2014 was generally peaceful.

Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. said no untoward incident has been recorded since Monday morning until 3 p.m., but noted that the national operations center will remain on alert.

“Tuloy-tuloy ang kampanyang ginagawa lalo na sa anti criminality campaign . . . sa mga grupo or element na ang nagiging modus operandi ay ang mambiktima ng mga mag-aaral,” Cerbo said.

(The anti-criminality drive will continue, especially against groups targeting students.)

Cerbo earlier said that assistance desks were set up in major school campuses and clustered schools nationwide where students can go to report security concerns.

Bullying was among the concerns the PNP has pledged to address.

In Metro Manila, National Capital Region Police Office chief, Director Leonardo Espina, likewise reported that no untoward incident was recorded within its jurisdiction, adding that the public gave praises on the establishment of assistance desks.

“Parents and students have positive feedback [saying that] they feel secured and safe with all the PNP personnel everywhere,” Espina said in a text advisory.

Cerbo said Metro Manila remains under full alert status.