TACLOBAN CITY - The 234 new breed of police officers who took their oath on Wednesday will undergo a mandatory 21-day quarantine before they proceed to their 6-month mandatory Public Safety Basic Recruit Course (PSBRC).
Lt. Col. Marlon Paiste, Regional Training Center (RTC-8) chief, said a separate building was provided in the center in order to ensure that the recruits will not manifest symptoms of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Of the 1,305 applicants who have undergone face-to-face interviews for this year's first Cycle of Regular Recruitment Program, a total of 196 male and 38 female recruits will be added to the police force in the region composed of at least 8,000 personnel.
In order to fill-up the 250 quota, 16 qualified male applicants from the Police Regional Office 6 will be realigned in the region.
Their application process started last February 1 but was suspended on March 27 due to the COVID-19 threat.
Brig. Gen. Bernabe Balba, Eastern Visayas Police Chief, assured the public that all health guidelines were followed in accommodating the applicants, including the camp's protocols that is why the usual tradition of families witnessing the oath taking ceremony of new recruits has been discouraged.
“I am happy that despite the threat of COVID-19, our medical personnel, recruitment team, and other personnel in-charge made extra efforts to accomplish this recruitment process, Balba said.