President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the police to immerse themselves in the community to foster better engagement and improve the trust of the public in law enforcers.
Marcos issued the call during the first Joint National Peace and Order Council (NPOC) and Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meeting in Malacañang on Thursday, April 25, also attended by Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson.
Lacson heads the Regional Peace and Order Council of Western Visayas.
The President emphasized the importance for the police to make their presence felt on the ground, urging them to “be on the beat, to know the people, and to understand what’s happening.”
Among the key national security concerns discussed in the meeting were geopolitical issues, the West Philippine Sea and other territorial disputes, communist terrorist groups, and the drug war.
In a social media post, Marcos cited the gains in the government’s campaign against drugs and insurgency.
“The integration of 67 former rebels through E-CLIP (Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program) in Surigao del Sur and strides in our anti-illegal drug campaign show our progress for peace,” he said.
“We’re enhancing local government coordination, drug monitoring, expediting cybersecurity laws, and establishing a cyber fusion center for a secure Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines) where every Filipino thrives”, Marcos said.*PNA