Cops sustain presence as more private schools resume classes
Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), ordered territorial police to sustain police visibility near schools as more private schools, especially in Metro Manila and other urban areas, reopened on Monday, June 15.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) earlier warned of heavy traffic buildup at the start of classes in private schools on June 15, adding that it will deploy traffic enforcers in school zones and major intersections to help prevent gridlock.
Nartatez sees the same problem in other urban areas, the reason he tasked local police commanders to coordinate with local government units and school authorities.
“We want to assure everybody that the peace and order measures we implemented for the June 8 class opening will remain for the safety of both the students and teachers and the peace of mind of their parents,” said Nartatez.
The strategic deployment and visibility implemented last week for the June 8 opening of public schools and some private schools, he said, will remain.
Earlier, the PNP declared that the June 8 class opening was generally peaceful and orderly and attributed it to the hard work and strategic planning of commanders down to the station level.
Nartatez said coordination with LGUs and school authorities is part of the security measures that the PNP prepared, through local police units, long before the June 8 class opening, especially the dates of class opening of every school.
The measures include the impact of school opening on major road networks, especially in Metro Manila and other urban areas.
The PNP, for its part, said police units will be deployed to major roads to ease expected bottlenecks during peak school hours. Local police units have also been placed on alert to coordinate with traffic authorities.
Nartatez also underscored the continued security presence around school premises nationwide.
“Our personnel will also sustain heightened vigilance outside the premises of all private and public schools to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and other staff,” he said.