The 15,000-strong National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) was placed on heightened alert at 6 a.m. yesterday to ensure the smooth and orderly opening of classes today in 1,275 colleges, universities and public schools in Metro Manila.
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said at least 20 million students will troop to schools nationwide today and the NCRPO would make sure that those enrolled in Metro Manila campuses will be secured by deploying 2,667 uniformed policemen in the vicinity of schools under the letter of instruction (LOI) dubbed as “Balik Paaralan.”
Metro police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Varilla said the police deployment could reach 4,800 including force multipliers like the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), security guards and barangay tanods who will man traffic in roads leading to schools.
“Gen. Varilla would lead his staff at the NCRPO in inspecting the troops deployment and the security situations in schools in Metro Manila early in the morning Monday,” said Senior Superintendent Ric Marquez Jr., NCRPO’s intelligence chief.
Marquez said the NCRPO is closely monitoring the University-Belt area, the schools along Taft Ave., and Intramuros in Manila; the Ramon Magsaysay High School in Quezon City and another school along Samson Road and Letre Road in Caloocan City.
Varilla ordered the five district directors to intensify their anti-crime operations and conduct patrols around schools to safeguard students against criminals.
The NCRPO chief appealed to parents to remind their children to be extra careful with their belongings like cash and cell phones, as criminals are very active during the period.
To address the perennial traffic woes around schools, Varilla asked the MMDA to deploy additional traffic enforcers today to manage traffic.
Varilla also established police assistance centers near schools where students can report crimes like extortion, snatching and other crimes.
Southern Police District (SPD) director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales said police marshals will be deployed on board passenger buses, FX taxis and jeepneys today to watch out for criminal elements.
“We will be everywhere, especially our police detectives who would secure students and other commuters inside buses, taxis and passenger jeepneys,” said Rosales.
Quezon City Police chief Senior Superintendent Magtanggol Gatdula will lead policemen in the inspection of various schools today.
Gatdula said he wanted to see for himself whether the security measures his men are implementing for students trooping to various schools will result in an orderly, peaceful, and crime-free school opening.
Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri ordered yesterday the police and other public safety personnel to tighten the security around the city’s 180 schools for today’s opening of classes.
Echiverri said the safety of students should be guaranteed when they go to the 85 public schools and 95 private schools in the city.
Echiverri directed the police chief, Superintendent William Macavinta, and the Reformed Department of Public Safety and Traffic Management (RDPSTM), to double their security personnel in school campuses to safeguard students from unscrupulous persons. – Jaime Laude, Pete Laude, Karlos Baylosis