Manila police brace for back-to-school security

MANILA, Philippines—It’s not just students who are preparing to go back to school.

To ensure the security of students on their return to school on June 6, the Manila Police District is set to deploy police assistance desks each manned by at least two officers at all campuses in the city, both public and private.

The number of police to be deployed is subject to the size of the school community, MPD director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla said in an interview.

Rongavilla said the focus will be on public elementary and high schools, as private schools tend to have their own security, and universities have mature students capable of protecting themselves.

On Wednesday, National Capital Region Police Office director Chief Supt. Alan Purisima dropped by the MPD to discuss with Rongavilla the city’s Oplan Balik Eskwela.

Purisima revealed that not less than a thousand policemen would be deployed in Metro Manila schools as “they have other duties.”

For the same reason, deployment of police to schools will be only during class hours, or at least 16 hours, instead of being around the clock.

Rongavilla said the police deployment in schools in Manila will start during the first week of classes and may be extended up to the second week or until the inflow of students has stabilized.

“We will withdraw or retain our men as the need arises,” he said.—With Mona Lisa Chuang, PDI intern