PNP volleybelles feted

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) is winning the hearts and minds of the youth with its female volleyball team composed of policewomen and civilian guest players.

Last Friday, the PNP paid tribute to the Lady P.A.T.R.O.L.ers volleyball team for their contribution to public awareness of the PNP P.A.T.R.O.L. Plan 2030. The PNP sponsored a “boodle fight” for the volleyball players at Camp Crame in Quezon City, led by Director Napoleon Estilles, chief of the Directorate for Plans, Director Lina Sarmiento, chief of the Director for Police Community Relations (DPCR), and Senior Superintendent Noel Baraceros of the Public Information Office.

A boodle fight is a tradition of a shared meal among police and military cadets and officers, with food laid out on a long table over banana leaves.

Chief Inspector Ma. Angela Salaya, team public relations officer, said the PNP’s female volleyball team succeeded in showing to the youth the human side of the police officers.

The 15-member team competed in the Shakey’s V-League Open Conference Season 10. Although the Lady P.A.T.R.O.L.ers placed sixth in the eight-team competition, Salaya is proud of the achievement considering the short span of time in recruitment, preparations and trainings of the players.

Salaya said the volleyball players – seven policewomen, two PNP civilian employees, and six civilians – were organized only last Aug. 7, less than two weeks before the Shakey’s V-League Open Conference started on Aug. 18. The civilian players were students from Letran College and San Beda College.

Salaya said they went around universities to get good players who were willing to represent the PNP. They played friendly tune up games at De La Salle, Ateneo de Manila, UST, Letran, Adamson and St. Louie in Baguio City.

“We were able to promote the PNP to these universities during the tune up games,” she noted.

Chief Superintendent Marcelo Garbo Jr., head of the technical working group of the volley players, said the team may not have won the championship but they definitely won the hearts of the youth, some of whom indicated intention to join the PNP after they graduate.

For her part, Frances Xinia Molina, 19, said her perception of the PNP has changed. “I used to be afraid of the police, as if they were going to do something bad to civilians. But when I got to know them and got close to them, I changed my impression of the PNP.”

With his policy of Serbisyong Makatotohan, PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima has been pushing measures to promote competence, organization development, discipline, excellence and professionalism in the police force, summed up as CODE-P.