‘A REBORN GOVERNMENTAGENCY WE CAN COUNT ON!’

Will PNP’s good governance reforms continue?

ONLY half a year after the Philippine National Police (PNP) was initiated into the Public Governance System of the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (with its balanced scorecard), the PNP has already achieved much of its goals for 2010 and is palpably on the way to accomplishing goals for succeeding years.Whatever good marks it has earned under PGS has founded on the PNP Integrated Transformation Program, which the agency embarked on in 2005.

PNP Chief Director Gen. Jesus Verzosa rightly spoke when he said during the 19th anniversary of the agency in January that “your national police force is now stronger than ever to carry out the mandate to serve and protect the Filipino people and promote national safety the best way possible. With the gains we have so far achieved in our journey towards genuine transformation, my report to the nation today comes in a simple statement from the community that we serve and protect.”

In October 2009 an independent nationwide survey conducted by the Asia-Pacific Center for Research states that the PNP has a national approval rating of 67.44 percent, an improvement from the 59.7-percent rating it posted from a survey conducted by that firm in 2008.

The survey also revealed that when respondents were asked if “Ramdam nyo ba ang pagbabago sa kapulisan?” 86.5 percent of them felt the remarkable changes in the “Pananamit o pagsuot ng uniporme,” “Police Visibility” and “Sasakyang pangpulis”—changes made possible because of the PNP Integrated Transformation Program.

In 2009, the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) ranked the PNP fourth among 177 agencies for performing well under the Integrity Development Action Plan (IDAP).

The PNP member’s grooming is now also noticeably much admirable than before.

Police visibility is at an all-time because 6,646 PO1s were recruited in 2009. Every year from now 10,000 more will be recruited, until the ideal police-to-population ratio of 1 cop to every 500 citizens is reached.

PNP policemen and policewomen now walk the streets with more dignity and pride in their uniforms.

In 2009, the PNP housing program reduced by 9.16 percent the number of homeless cops.

Good health care is now provided after the PNP entered into a partnership with 70 tertiary government hospitals around the country. P60 million was spent for reimbursement of hospitalization expenses. Police dependents, 2,877 in all, were granted scholarships.

The Police Retirement Administration Service and the drafting of “The Philippine National Police Pension System Act of 2010” are in the works to benefit alumni of the force.

There has been a 12-percent increase in police salaries, so that the gross salary of a rookie cop is now P16.

More than 23,00 police officers were promoted and given medals for their exceptional work and heroism.

More equipment
The P2 billion released to the PNP for its “Capability Enhancement Fund” has allowed more police stations to be built, 100 of them are now model stations. The fund also allowed PNP to buy 11,249 firearms and other armaments and combat equipment. Prior to the Transformation Program, the PNP was 65-percent short of mobility assets, 80-percent short of aircrafts and 76-percent short of watercrafts.

In 2009, a total of 1,045 motor vehicles and 75 rubber boats were purchased. Each police station now has at least one patrol vehicle, although there is still a 51-percent shortage. These new equipment allow policemen to now respond to crime incidents and calls for assistance faster and more efficiently.

PNP is now a more disciplined force that the people trust.

In a meeting with Dr. Jesus Estanislao, the father of good governance in the country, and Police Senior Supt. Cesar Hawthorne Binag, the chief of staff of the PNP-Program Management Office, The Manila Times asked if the people can really count on the PNP to protect them in the coming elections and prevent anyone who attempts to subvert democratic balloting. Both Mr. Binag and Dr. Estanislao solemnly said, “Yes!”

That is why it should not surprise us to hear Dir. Gen. Verzosa reaffirm that commitment very often.

It is heartening to find out that graduates of the Police Academy vow to help protect the citizens during the election. And to learn that Mr. Verzosa has issued an order prohibiting cops from doing nine acts that will put the PNP’s position in doubt.

The question is will the PNP, which has earned the respect of the people for being like an Easter gift, which in its sixth month as an initiated participant in the Institute for Solidarity in Asia’s Performance Governance System program, continue with its reform and transformation program under the next president of the Philippines? –Manila Times