NCRPO pushes for Metro-wide CCTV network

MANILA, Philippines –  In the wake of last Tuesday’s bus bombing in Makati City, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is pushing for the creation of a metropolis-wide closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera network to monitor criminal activities.

NCRPO chief Director Nicanor Bartolome said the recent bombing indicates the project needs to be done as soon as possible, though it would be both financially and logistically challenging for the NCRPO to undertake the project alone.

“We would need the help of the private sector and the various LGUs for the creation of this Metro-wide CCTV link,” he said. “Safety and security should be everyone’s responsibility.”

At present, some local government units and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority maintain CCTV cameras, but Bartolome said the number of cameras is not enough and crucial spots are left unmonitored. He is encouraging the private sector and LGUs to donate cameras that could be mounted at intersections and bus stops.

Bartolome added that the installed cameras should also be interoperable so that the cameras can be accessed not just by one agency.  He said the metropolis-wide CCTV network would be patterned after the one being used in London.