INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA—Bullying and street crimes are the “priority concerns” of the Philippine National Police as the school year opens on Monday.
Nearly 20,000 policemen will be deployed nationwide for increased visibility at school premises “to prevent out-of-school youth from bullying pupils/students during the whole school year,” said a PNP press statement issued Friday.
They will man the 7,400 Police Assistance Desks that would coordinate with local government units, the Parent-Teacher Associations of the schools, as well as non-governmental organizations to ensure a smooth opening of classes on June 2.
According to the police, the common street crimes include the picking of pockets, snatching, swindling, robbery/hold-up, and street-level drug trafficking.
In Metro Manila, the PNP is set to deploy 2,500 police personnel at the University Belt area in Manila and in the immediate vicinity of schools “to complement foot and mobile operations of Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams and local police units.”
“Mobile and foot patrols will also be conducted along major routes leading to all learning institutions and within the immediate vicinity of school premises,” the PNP said.
The PNP met with the Department of Education (DepEd) on May 23 to discuss and address the common problems encountered during school openings.
The national police reminded parents to have “constant communication” with the school’s teachers or security guards. They must also let their children know who would pick them up after class.
Students should also be told not to talk to strangers, avoid wearing jewelry, not to bring large amounts of money, or use expensive mobile phones on the streets.
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