‘Magic Eye’ elicits P1-M fund

The Magic Eye project of enlisting public involvement in reporting crime through text messaging elicited immediate public support when launched by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and its partners in the private sector at the historic Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan yesterday.

At least 200 volunteers from the business community, the consumer movement and private security agencies signed up as volunteer reporters in the novel project jointly launched with the Philippine National Police Foundation Inc. (PNPFI), Smart Communications, Globe Telecom and service provider Entertainment Gateway Group.

One organization, the Association of Volunteer Fire Chiefs and Firefighters of the Philippines Inc., headed by its president George Go Pen Siong, asked for 2,000 registration forms for volunteer members to the TxT Patrol from among its members.

"The warm response of concerned citizens is proof enough that Metro Manilans hunger for a chance to do their part in the fight against all forms of crimes and abuses," NCRPO chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco said.

Under the project, Txt Patrol volunteers who were issued digital identification cards, have been empowered to send reports of ongoing crimes, police abuses and other emergencies through text messages in their cellular phones by simply pressing CW which stands for "citizen watch" and their main message and then send the text to the Magic Eye dedicated number 2910.

The message is then acknowledged by Globe or Smart, sent straight to the NCRPO for verification and when determined authentic, is acted upon by the nearest policemen in the beat or closest police station. The process takes less than a minute as proven during a public demonstration.

Other features of Magic Eye was a way of getting instant police alert or "iwas-krimen" tips by another simple text of texting the words "ALERT" or TIPS then send to number 2910.

Impressed by the novel crime monitoring system, Philippine Association of Detective and Protective Agencies Organizations (PADPAO) president, Ramon Bergado, handed over a check of P1 million towards the end of the launching ceremonies to make sure that the project will be sustained.

The money will not go directly to the police but to the privately-run PNP Foundation which was the NCRPO’s original partner in soft-launching the project last July and in doing the spade work for Globe, Smart and the service provider outfit to set-up the hardware and software that links cellphone owners directly with the police.

For his part, PNPFI executive director Ricardo Crisostomo said the public should not shy away from availing of the Magic Eye Txt Patrol service simply because of the P2.50 charge per message.

"Any amount is worth spending to save a human life. If your P2.50 can save another person’s life, spending it is nothing to rue over when human life and your family’s safety is at stake," Crisostomo pointed out.

While lauding a novel scheme devised by law enforcement authorities to convert the country’s "texting" mania into a potent anti-crime tool, opposition Sen. Teresa Aquino-Oreta said the service should be offered free of charge in keeping with their corporate social responsibility to help stamp out crime and terrorism.

Oreta said the "Magic Eye Text Patrol 2910" program to help thwart bomb threats and other criminal activities would be more effective if wireless communications partners in the campaign would make a public service.

"The public would be more encouraged to participate in Text Patrol if they are able to access this service for free," Oreta said.