Chiefs say tourism policemen have a lot to improve

CEBU, Philippines - Police Regional Office 7 Director Ager Ontog has admitted that the Tourist Police currently deployed in different tourism destinations in Central Visayas still have a lot to improve.

In the 888 News Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza, Ontog said the program is still ongoing and the Philippine National Police and the Department of Tourism continue to train policemen on their role in ensuring safety and security in tourism sites.

Ontog said he appreciates the fact that public response to the program is positive like that of the students from the University of the Philippines who visited his office last month to study the effectiveness of the tourist police program. Ontog said he will surely consider the student’s recommendations.

In Cebu province, around 20 trained tourist policemen were deployed to the towns of Santa Fe, San Francisco in Camotes Island, Malapascua Island, and Moalboal.

Meanwhile, Provincial Police Office Director Sr. Supt. Erson Digal said they plan to train 40 more tourist policemen with the help of the provincial government. Digal himself admitted that the 20 tourist policemen stationed in the four towns are not enough because there are also other tourism spots to consider.

The PNP and DOT have joined hands to ensure the safety and security of local and foreign tourists by launching TOPCOP or the Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection. The TOPCOP program was formalized through a memorandum of agreement.

The MOA provides the creation of special units within the PNP that shall ensure the safety and security of tourists in various travel destinations in the country.

The PNP high command recently directed its field units to intensify security operations in major tourist destinations in the country to provide protection and police assistance to tourists and foreign guests.

The DOT has initially identified 14 travel destinations as pilot project areas for the TOPCOP program, including Cebu, Camarines Sur, Metro Manila, Baguio City, Davao City, Boracay, Cagayan de Oro, Zambales, Bohol, Puerto Princesa City, Camiguin, Cagayan Valley, Negros Oriental and Ilocos Norte.

The TOPCOP program provides continuing training and education for PNP personnel such as Tourism Awareness Seminar, Mabuhay Host Seminar, Cultural Sensitivity Seminar, Emergency Response & Life Saving, Crisis Management, Community-based Guiding, Foreign Language and Familiarization Tours.

Republic Act 9593 or the Tourism Act of 2009 provides the establishment of a Tourism Security Force within the PNP to assist in maintaining peace and order in areas with high tourism traffic.

The same law abolished the Tourist Security Unit of the DOT and in its place established the Tourism Security Force within the PNP.   (FREEMAN NEWS)