The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will be deploying more policemen in the transport hubs and other places of convergence in Metro Manila in anticipation of the influx of people for the Holy Week.
NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Edgar Alan Okubo said 42 percent of the Metro Manila police force have already been deployed in order to maximize police presence in the streets of the metropolis.
“We will further increase it to 50 percent to 70 percent if possible to include the deployment of our administrative personnel,” said Okubo.
Based on his order, NCRPO policemen doing deskwork will be required to have four hours of police visibility a day—two hours in the morning rush hour and another two hours in the afternoon rush hours.
A total of 6,213 NCRPO personnel are currently doing active police visibility and target-hardening measures in Metro Manila and Okubo said this will be increased in the few remaining days before the Holy Week.
He said the five district directors of Metro Manila were already instructed to conduct assessment on high-density areas and crime-prone areas in their respective areas of responsibility for strategic deployment.
“We also tapped our police multipliers to help in the police visibility and in manning our police assistance desks,” said Okubo.
The force multipliers include barangay tanod and other personnel from various government agencies.
“I also reserved around 2,000 more of our personnel in case there is a need for additional deployment for the Holy Week,” he added.
Millions of people are expected to troop to bus terminals and sea and airports to take advantage of the long Lenten break.
The Philippine Ports Authority is expecting 2.2 million passengers for the Holy Week while the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) is expecting 1.2 million passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.