All set for school opening next week - PNP

MANILA, Philippines - Everything is set for the opening of classes next week, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday.

PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said policemen will be deployed near the vicinity of schools to ensure the safety of students and faculty members.

Verzosa is giving more attention to street crimes as millions of students go back to school next Monday, He has ordered all PNP Regional Offices and National Support Units to implement their respective operational plans to provide security and police assistance to the public.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said that the priority concerns of the PNP are incidents of street crimes such as pickpocketing, snatching, swindling and robbery/hold-up.

“Police patrols in the vicinity of schools will also be on the look-out for drug traffickers and violent street gangs who may infiltrate the ranks of students,” said Bartolome.

In 2008, the Department of Education (DepEd) said a total of 20.8 million elementary and high school students around the country trooped to schools for the simultaneous opening of classes in both public and private institutions.

Police hope to further improve the peace and order situation during the opening of classes next month.

In 2006, 2007 and 2008, the PNP said police recorded less crime.

Bartolome said the PNP will implement a nationwide security and public safety plan for the opening of the school year in June.

“The PNP will also mobilize civic and volunteer organizations to assist in traffic control and other related public safety concerns,” he said.

Bartolome said the national headquarters gave the regional directors the discretionary authority to raise alert levels as they see fit to effectively implement Oplan Balik Paaralan. Police will distribute anti-crime flyers and leaflets as part of a public information and awareness campaign.

The PNP will implement Letter of Instructions (LOI) “Sangingat-Bravo” and “Balik-Paaralan” to ensure the operational readiness of police units in responding to peace and order concerns including threats from criminal elements who may take advantage of the situation.

He noted that local PNP units have been instructed to coordinate closely with school administrators and officials of DepEd and Commission of Higher Education (CHED) to ensure safety and security of students.

In Metro Manila, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and its five Police Districts will field personnel in strategic areas within the vicinity of schools for foot, mobile and police visibility patrols.

In coordination with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Traffic Enforcement Group (TEG) of NCRPO will spearhead traffic management operations in the vicinity of schools particularly in the University Belt area of Manila.

Similar security measures will be in place at seaports, airports, and land transport terminals under Oplan Bantay-Lakbay in anticipation of the heavy volume of incoming passengers from the provinces during the opening of classes.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, on the other hand, directed the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to intensify the re-inspection of schools, universities, dormitories and commercial establishments to ensure strict compliance with fire safety regulations and standards.

Puno said the measures are to prevent accidents and ensure the safety of the students.

“Any structure or establishment that is found to be operating without mandatory fire safety requirements and in clear violation of the Fire Code of the Philippines and the authority of the BFP must be charged in the proper court,” Puno said.

USAID very much at it

Meanwhile, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) went beyond just giving financial assistance and providing counterpart funds as its ranking officials joined the parents and teachers in cleaning and refurbishing rooms and school grounds in preparation for the opening of classes next month.

Thomas Crehan, chief for the USAID office of Education, said joining the parents in the DepEd’s Brigada Eskwela ensured that the schools have benefited from the USAID’s P3.7-million worth of construction and repair materials assistance for the DepEd.

Crehan said the funding will be divided among 741 public elementary schools and communities in regions 9, 10 and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) that are being supported by the USAID’s Education Quality and Access for Learning and Livelihood Skills (EQuALLS2) project.

Crehan said his teams from the USAID have so far participated in the DepEd’s National Schools Maintenance Week in at least nine schools in Central Mindanao.

“It is really heartwarming to directly assist and ensure the children will return back to their classes ready. And we believe that education will help uplift the plight of our less fortunate people,” Crehan said.

In addition to the financial assistance, the EQuALLS2 has also distributed complementary books and educational materials to reinforce the instruction of English, science and math.

The EQuALLS2 has so far donated more than 800,000 books all over Mindanao and is expected to distribute the remaining one million books until 2011. – With Roel Pareño