The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has started a series of information drive in the poorest of the poor communities in Metro Manila to raise awareness on the prevention of the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) amid the continuous rise of infection cases in the metropolis.

NCRPO director Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao said there are 36 communities in Metro Manila that he would visit in the coming weeks, the purpose is to provide health safety tips and to distribute basic protective gears against COVID-19 that includes face masks.
“This is aimed at instilling protocols of the Department of Health and other necessary information to the community to prevent the spread of the disease in poor areas which are considered as high risk for mass infection,” said Danao.
On Wednesday, Danao met with 400 residents of the Smokey Mountain and the Baseco Compound for the information drive which is under the Coronavirus Awareness Response Empowerment (CARE) of the NCRPO. Danao used to be the district director of Manila Police District.
Aside from COVID-19 awareness program, the information drive includes lecture on crime prevention that also focuses on illegal drugs.
The information drive also include measures to prevent recruitment in poor communities of communist rebels and avoid their areas from being the hiding place of members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army, according to Danao.
“Poor communities like these areas (Baseco and Smokey Compound) used to be the hideout of criminal elements and wanted persons. We want to sustain our gains in strengthening coordination with the people in these areas against criminal elements,” said Danao.
During the lecture, Danao urged the local residents not to hesitate to report even abusive policemen in their communities, citing the initiative he started at the MPD and when he was the regional director of the Police Regional Office 4A wherein complaints and tips against erring cops were immediately acted upon.
Aside from health kits, food packs were also distributed to those who attended the lecture in Manila, the fund came from the salary and allowances of NCRPO personnel who donated to the CARE program.