Poe says people will feel secure in her first month in office

Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe. FILE PHOTO

Presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe promised on Wednesday that if elected, Filipinos would immediately feel secure in just her first month in office.

“Ako, I’m very optimistic na pagkaupo ko bilang pangulo, mararamdaman na nila ang seguridad sa loob pa lang ng isang buwan,” Poe said when asked in an interview with reporters if she has a timeline to address criminality in the country.

(I’m very optimistic that if I become the president, Filipinos would feel security in my first month in office.)

“Bakit? Sapagkat yung itatalaga natin na mamuno ng PNP (Philippine National Office) ay matino,” she said.

(Why? Because we will assign a decent PNP chief.)

She said she would also set a deadline for every village in the country to address the crimes and illegal drugs in their areas and they would be given cash rewards if they register a low or zero incident.

READ: Poe opts for justice, reward system in fighting crime

The police chiefs in the areas, however, she said, would be recalled to their office if they fail to do their job.

Poe also talked about the need to increase the number of police on the streets as well as the need to raise their salaries.

She clarified that what she intends to do in her first month in office is to provide the feeling of security to the public and at the same for them to feel that the government is on their side.

“Yung feeling of security but at the same time mararamdaman ng tao na kakampi nila ang gobyerno,” she said.

(The feeling of security but at the same time the public will feel that the government is on their side.)

“Yung sinasabi kong one month na yun, e mararamdaman talaga ng tao na meron silang masasandalan at hindi sila desperado na hindi masosolusyunan yung problema nila.”

(Within one month, the people will feel that they can rely [on the government] and they won’t be desperate that they problems will not be resolved.)

Poe could not say, however, if after a month, the crime incidents in the country would significantly go down.

“Importante lang na within the first month, mararamdaman ng mga tao na yung commander in chief nila ay talagang nagtalaga na ng mga taong mapagkakatiwalaan nila at mismo sa mga baranggay na bumaba ang mga tao para masiguro na maimplementa ang programa laban sa krimen at droga,” she said.

(The important thing is within the first month, the people will feel that their commander in chief appointed trustworthy individuals and that the people can go to their respective villages to ensure that the programs against crime and illegal drugs are implemented.)

Her political opponent, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, has been promising the people that he could solve the criminality and drug problems in the country within three to six months in office.

READ: Duterte: Kill me if I fail to bust crime, corruption in 6 months

Duterte is now the frontrunner in the presidential race based on latest poll surveys. RAM

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