By Order
Be on guard against criminals
The opening of classes has just begun and the sight of students going to schools indicates the lingering hope in every Filipino for development and progress.
For the parents and students, the school year is another undertaking full of challenges and uncertainties. This, despite the efforts of the government to alleviate the condition of every Filipino; many families still wallow in the quagmire of poverty. With this, we cannot help but anticipate that, in few months from now, statistics of children quitting schools only to venture into hard labor to help their families survive would be alarming. We can only cross our fingers that this would not happen.
On the part of the Philippine National Police, the opening of classes poses another gargantuan task particularly on ensuring the security and safety not only of students but of the public in general; hence, the need for enhanced and intensified police operations. To this effect, few weeks ago, Oplan Balik Eskwela has been implemented urging all police units in the region to take aggressive pro-active measures against criminalities, particularly street crimes victimizing mostly the students, children and women.
It is expected that the increasing influx of commuters to capital cities and towns will be taken advantage by lawless elements. Surely, snatchers, pickpockets, robbers, thieves and the like would be gearing up their nefarious activities against unwary individuals. Thus, be on guard. Everyone must be extra cautious and observant of other people especially when in public places and conveyances.
Recently, we have distributed leaflets on some "tips" reminding the public of the "Dos" and "Don'ts" to avoid being victimized of criminals. Truth hurts; but indubitably our own negligence is oftentimes -- if not always -- brings us disaster.
Let us admit the fact that the police are not omnipresent to protect everyone from harm. And, this fact must always be a reminder that the best deterrence to crimes is for everyone to be wary for their personal safety, bearing in mind that "on ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure."
As we welcome school year 2007-2008, I enjoin everyone to be always optimistic that we can still become better off as a nation. As our beloved president, Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has said "together, we beat the odds". With this, let everyone be a "police" because criminalities remain the potent threats to peace and order and progress
For police assistance, call: (033) 3378182/3379300 (Operation Center); Patrol 166 or 117; or text PNP 2920 (Type PNP [space] [message] and send to 2920).