PHILIPPINE National Police chief, General Camilo Pancratius P. Cascolan yesterday said he is bent on implementing a 9-point action agenda focused on the highly-ambitious PNP Sustainable Development Program which include transferring police units outside of Camp Crame and bringing them much closer to areas where their services are much needed by the public.
The plan includes relocating the PNP Maritime Group headquarters and their modern patrols boats to an area near the sea and the PNP Highway Patrol Group to a place where they can be immediately reached by the motorists in case of emergency or those applying for motor vehicle clearances.
Cascolan said he wants the continuous full implementation of the PNP Modernization Program 2030 through the PNP P.A.T.R.O.L. Plan 2030 aimed at having a highly-capable, effective and credible police force.
The member of Philippine Military Academy ‘Sinagtala’ Class of 1986 wants ‘high-impact results and long-term victories’ of the police force under his tenure.
Cascolan added one of the major programs is the implementation of a comprehensive PNP Master Development Plan for all PNP camps or the decongestion plan to bring all PNP units much closer to areas where their services are much needed.
“We will first implement this plan in the National Headquarters and then to all PNP camps by decongesting and streamlining units and offices, relocating operational units closer to the public for faster and better delivery of their services,” said the new top cop.
Under the PNP Decongestion Plan, the five PNP Directorates for Integrated Police Operations and the PNP Maritime Group, Highway Patrol Group, Police Security and Protection Group, Logistics Support Service, Explosives and Ordnance Division/K-9 Unit, Training Service and Health Service which are all holding office in Camp Crame will be transferred to other locations in order to provide a more efficient service to their internal and external clients.
The plan also includes the decentralization of the PNP One-Stop Shop, Firearms and Explosives Office, Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies, Directorate for Intelligence Clearance Division, the National Police Clearance office and the PNP-HPG Motor Vehicle Clearance Division.
The PNP Special Action Force headquarters will also be relocated under the plan. At present, the PNP-SAF’s headquarters is located at the National Capital Region Police Office headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.
The transfer of the five DIPOs as well as national operational and administrative support units to other locations outside of Camp Crame will also address the problem of lack of parking spaces in the national headquarters and at the same time minimize the number of people which adds up to security problems during the ‘New Normal’ triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cascolan also stressed his plan to embark on an intensive Human Resource Development plan to ensure that every police personnel knows his or her job and does them well.
“We will improve individual and unit skills in performing basic police roles, marksmanship, patrolling, intelligence, police operations, investigation and community relations, through intensified training, modernization of equipment, and utilization of information and communications technology,” he said.
The PNP chief also announced that a comprehensive organizational audit will be conducted as a basis in the reorganization and restructuring of PNP units and offices.
Cascolan also underscored the need to further improve the PNP personnel welfare program by giving “equal opportunity and leveling the playing field in placement and promotion of personnel based strictly on performance, service reputation and merit and fitness”.
He also said that that the PNP’s provision on healthcare and wellness services will be improved in partnership with various healthcare providers and national hospitals.
“Our plan on facilities development will provide more work-conducive offices and training facilities, better quartering, healthcare and wellness facilities,” he said.
Cascolan added that he will push for the promotion of the ‘Bayanihan Spirit’ and the Community Service-Oriented Policing in the PNP thru a much stronger partnership and active engagement with communities to ensure peace and order and help sustain their gains against criminality, drugs, terrorism and rogues in uniform.
Last week, Gen. Cascolan led the launching of the PNP Barangay COVID Defense or BaCoD and the PNP Food Bank which will be their new benchmark projects to further ‘serve and protect’ the community while continuing an aggressive campaign against drugs and other crimes.
The two community-engaging projects were unveiled as part of the new PNP chief’s Retooled Community Support Program and the PNP Sustainable Development Program in Camp Crame.
Under the BaCoD Program, the PNP will have a community clustering system aimed at having a focused initiative to help the national government and its agencies in the implementation of COVID measures and protocols in the barangay level.
The 24th top cop also explained that the first-ever PNP Food Bank will serve as a virtual ‘reservoir’ of food, basic supplies and protective equipment donated by various PNP stakeholders and big donors.
Cascolan said the Food Bank will serve as a logistics system to manage donations that will be distributed to the communities and families affected by the pandemic and during times of natural calamities and other emergencies.
