PNP to construct 1,500 cop stations in 15 years

CABANATUAN CITY — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is eyeing the construction of 1,500 police stations nationwide over the next 15 years — or about a hundred a year — as part of its efforts to create a strong national police.

Chief Superintendent Servando Hizon, chief of the PNP Directorate for Logistics, told The STAR this is part of the overall vision of PNP chief Director General Arturo Lomibao.

He said construction has started in some areas with the PNP expecting to spend an average of P200 million a year for the project.

Hizon was here during the launch of the Balik-Nueva Ecija program of Senior Superintendent Alex Paul Monteagudo, provincial police director. He is a native of Quezon, the hometown of the Josons.

Hizon said three types of police stations will be constructed: Type A, which costs between P4 million and P5 million, in highly urbanized cities; Type B, costing P3 million each, in component cities and urban centers; and Type C, worth less than P3 million, in rural areas.

He said the PNP will ask the budget department to include the project in the PNP’s capital outlay.

In late 2003, the PNP, under Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., recommended an allocation of P4.58 billion for the construction of 1,181 police stations nationwide and for the procurement of mission-essential equipment such as patrol vehicles, firearms and communication and investigative equipment.

Hizon said the new police stations will be built on PNP-owned lands. "If there are no lands available, then we will ask the local government units to donate lots," he said.

He lamented that some police stations are in a miserable state which is not good for the PNP’s image.

In Nueva Ecija, Hizon said the PNP, with the help of Gov. Tomas Joson III, will put up a new provincial police headquarters in Palayan City, just across the provincial Capitol, at a cost of P14 million.

Aside from the provincial police headquarters, the four-hectare site, which was approved by Lomibao’s predecessor, Director General Edgar Aglipay, will also house a sports complex, a housing project, parade grounds and other facilities.