MANILA – Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s leadership and initiatives, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has made great strides in transforming into an even better force through sweeping reforms and effective action.
In his speech during the 123rd Police Service Anniversary held on Aug. 8, 2024 at Camp Crame, Quezon City, President Marcos showed his appreciation for the PNP, highlighting key achievements and milestones of the police during his tenure thus far.
He mentioned that police officers, as part of his Bagong Pilipinas governance directive, are now more trusted by the communities that they serve. They are seen as friendly, reliable, and fair. The relationship between law enforcement and citizens based on mutual respect and trust has been further strengthened through the PNP’s improvements and focus.
In line with this, communities and the police force have been working together even closer to keep peace and for justice to prevail.
“In a Bagong Pilipinas [New Philippines], our police are reliable, approachable, and trustworthy; there is a stronger confidence and a more solid rapport between the police and the populace, and we are all united in our hope to achieve a truly peaceful and progressive nation,” he stressed.
The President also lauded PNP Chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil who has led the way in the law enforcement’s drive for meaningful reforms and a true transformation.
Under Marbil’s leadership, the crime rate has dropped significantly even in high-risk areas due to an increase in patrols and deployment of police officers, while the PNP’s drive to improve their response has been impressive, with 99% of calls for police assistance answered. In an updated accomplishment report, the PNP shared that they were able to conduct more than 52 million foot patrols from July 2022 to November 2024.
The President highlighted the many notable achievements of the PNP during Marbil’s tenure, from its intensified efforts to fight crime in the digital age as it launched a Cybersecurity Operations Center last May 30, 2024, to its successes in its fight against illegal drugs and human trafficking, with a strong commitment to transparency and respect for everyone’s rights. Working hand-in-hand with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the police force has also taken down nearly 2,000 members of local and communist terrorist groups. “Your joint operations with the [Armed Forces] on Internal Security have led to the neutralization of close to two thousand or 1,951 members of local and communist terrorist groups,” said Marcos, all during the same speech.
President Marcos urged the PNP to keep moving forward with their changes. The police should be seen as allies, not feared, he said. He stressed the need for strong relationships with communities. Officers should remain disciplined, open, and fair, and those who don’t, need to face consequences. The Chief Executive also promised to support police personnel bravely facing their duties and the hazards of their chosen career. Through the Comprehensive Capability Enhancement Program, the PNP will get the tools and resources needed to protect the nation.
PNP beefs up ops with P553-M in new vehicles, firearms
During the same occasion at Camp Crame, Quezon City on Aug. 8, 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took a close look at some of PNP’s new equipment worth over PHP553 million.
The newly acquired equipment such as personnel carriers, motorcycles, patrol vehicles, and firearms, shows President Marcos’ strong commitment to providing the police force with the resources they need to keep the public safe and maintain peace across the country. This recent procurement, totaling over PHP553 million, is part of the PNP’s Capability Enhancement Program, running from 2022 to 2024.
They received 20 4×4 personnel carriers that cost PHP42.4 million, 299 dirt bikes worth PHP42.7 million, and 193 light transport vehicles that totaled PHP271.2 million. They also acquired 75 patrol jeeps for PHP92.5 million and 155 light machine guns for PHP104.5 million.
PNP Chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil said these upgrades will enhance the force’s ability to respond quickly and effectively. “These enhancements will make our operations more efficient, strengthening public safety and improving how we serve the community,” Marbil said.
These purchases are part of a bigger plan to modernize the police. The PNP’s Capability Enhancement Program will add over 2,300 vehicles, 28,580 guns, and about 8,200 units of communication and investigation tools to the police force.
According to a Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) accomplishment report, the PNP’s capability enhancement program from July 2022 to May 2024 already secured over PHP5.1 billion worth of equipment in line with the initiative. Within that period, the PNP received 14,946 new firearms and 10,176 pieces of Internal Security Operations (ISO) equipment, among other procurements.
Speaking to the Philippine News Agency in an exclusive interview, PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo attributed the ongoing successful implementation of the capability enhancement program to the President’s support and shared information about its current and planned progress. “We thank the President because he’s supporting the upgrading of our equipment to support police capability; vehicles, firearms, even high-tech equipment like body-worn cameras, which is planned to be part of the 2025 budget,” Fajardo said.
These efforts are in line with the pronouncement of President Marcos to improve the PNP’s communications capability at the first-ever PNP Command Conference in Quezon City on Feb. 15, 2024.
At the meeting, the President talked about how important it is to be smart when getting communication equipment. He said we need to work well together, especially during disaster response. “We need to communicate effectively. Officers on the ground must be able to quickly report what’s happening,” he noted as he emphasized the critical need for dependable communication channels.
The President tasked the PNP to look into cheaper and better communication technologies. He pointed out that satellite phones and other tools are easier to get now. He also suggested benchmarking with other countries to find equipment that could work for the Philippines.
He highlighted how important it is for all new gear to be the same across the country. This way, officers can use the same systems no matter where they are. It helps them switch between places or jobs without any hassle.
“We need to ensure everything works together. The systems, procedures, and equipment must be consistent so that officers can continue serving effectively, wherever they’re deployed,” President Marcos concluded.
With these upgrades in the pipeline, the PNP is taking significant steps toward enhancing its operational efficiency and ensuring that it remains prepared to serve and protect the Filipino people, especially in times of crisis.
Fajardo added during her interview that part of this capability enhancement will be to address cybersecurity challenges and that the ongoing efforts of the PNP to be ready for those, including the newly operational Cybersecurity Operations Center, are in line with their capability enhancement. “Our government allocated a significant budget to strengthen our capabilities. I remember during our very first Command Conference with the President, he mentioned the importance of cybersecurity. This year, our Cybersecurity Operations Center became operational. Moving forward, cybersecurity will also be part of the focus of our capability enhancement program,” she said.
As these enhancements continue to roll out, the PNP remains steadfast in its mission to serve and protect the Filipino people with integrity, professionalism, and the highest standards of service.
