The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Friday, Dec. 20, that it has deployed nearly 40,000 police personnel nationwide to ensure public safety this Christmas season.
PNP spokesperson Police Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said the cops were tasked to secure bus terminals, ports, places of worship, tourist destinations and other places of convergence.
“We have additional forces on the ground, right now we have deployed close to 40,000 nationwide. This includes personnel who are sent to places of worship, terminals, seaports and airports,” Fajardo said.
“Aside from those fielded since Simbang Gabi (dawn masses), we have also activated police assistance desks (PADs). Our EODs [Explosive Ordnance Division] and K9 dogs have also been deployed in public transportation hubs to assist in the inspection of baggages,” she added.
The PNP has not monitored any security threat so far although it remains on alert.
“So far, we have not received any report of untoward incident and that’s what we want to sustain. We continue to remind the public to ensure their personal safety,” Fajardo noted.
Millions of travelers are expected to flock in transportation hubs, terminals and ports to go to provinces or tourist destinations for the Christmas and New Year’s celebration.
The PNP advised the public to save the contact details of the nearest police stations in their area so they could easily ask for help in case of an emergency.
“We expect in the coming days that the number of people in terminals will increase significantly to welcome the Christmas Day and New Year. Make sure to be safe when you are travelling with your families,” Fajardo said.
“Secure your cars if you are using private vehicles, check if it is in good condition. And if you are using public transportation, secure your personal belongings and your children. If you’re going to party, don’t drink and drive to avoid accidents,” she noted. (Martin Sadongdong)
