The Philippine government is taking a step to keep South Korean nationals safe in the country by establishing a dedicated police desk for foreigners in police stations.

Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) Executive Director Gilbert Cruz said they have conducted a dialogue with the Korean Consulate and United Korean Community Association to discuss possible ways to further protect Koreans in the country.

Cruz said one of the purposes of the dialogue is to determine what crimes the foreign nationals experience and where—crime mapping. This would give the police an idea where to zero in, in terms of intensifying police presence, Cruz said.

"So, naglagay naman tayo ng police assistance desk particularly sa mga turista. So, iyong mga turista kung magiging biktima po sila ng krimen, doon po sila tatakbo sa police desk na dedicated po sa mga turista (So, we established a police assistance particularly for the tourist. So, tourists who will fall victim to any crime could run to the police desk dedicated to them)," Cruz said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview.

He explained that the PAOCC would serve as a "focal person" in solving and preventing crimes against foreigners, adding that they would be the ones assessing if a certain area, where there is a Korean community, needs to intensify its watch.

Instead of going to their respective embassies to report a crime, foreigners can make a report or complaint through the designated police desk, Cruz said.

According to Cruz, they are looking to intensify the protection of Koreans in areas such as Malate in Manila,  Angeles in Pampanga, and Parañaque.

Although the data on crimes committed against Koreans varies, among the reported crimes seen in their crime mapping were snatching, theft, killing, and scamming.

"Ang masaklap nga lang po diyan, iyong mga nagri-report kasi nating mga biktima dito is mga turista, iyong iba po ay mga investors. So, ayaw po natin na maapektuhan sila at manlumo sila na isipin nila na magulo ang Pilipinas, so ang ginagawa po talaga natin dito, inaaksiyunan natin kaagad (What's unfortunate is the victims reporting the incidents were tourists, and some of them are investors. So, we do not want them to be affected and discouraged, thinking that the Philippines is chaotic, so we are making an action on this)," Cruz said.

The PAOCC official disclosed that they are in the process of crafting an executive order solely for the protection of tourists in the country. He said it is now under review.

"[I]yong isang ginagawa dito, nagka-craft kami ng isang executive order solely para sa mga proteksyon ng mga turista and it’s being drafted now, siguro rerebyuhin po natin iyan kasama po ang aming Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin na siya na rin po iyong chairman ng PAOCC (One of the things that we are doing is crafting an executive order solely for the protection of tourists and it's being drafted now, we will review it with our Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin who is the chairman of the PAOCC)," Cruz said.

The official also disclosed that a meeting with law enforcement agencies is set where they will be giving out their assessment on where to put up a tourist assistance desk.

He said they are also looking into sending police manning the desks to train and learn Korean language.