PRO-7 deploys 82 tourist policemen

CEBU, Philippines - Eighty-two policemen who recently graduated from the Philippine National Police’s police tourism training program were deployed to the different tourist spots in Central Visayas.

The police officers, who were trained from scuba diving to speaking Korean language, are tasked to secure local and international tourists in their area of responsibility, Police Regional Office-7 director Lani-O Nerez said.

Instructors, including foreigners, taught the policemen scuba diving, public speaking, properly entertaining tourists and rescuing them during emergencies during their 10-day training in the resort-island of Panglao, Bohol, starting June 21.

Nerez said that of the 82 who graduated from the program, 22 were deployed in famous tourist destinations in Cebu while another 21 were deployed in Lapu-Lapu City, 20 were deployed in Bohol, 10 in Negros Oriental and also 10 in Siquijor.

These policemen, who are mostly fresh criminology graduates, will man tourist police assistance centers (TPACs) in their respective areas and are ready anytime to answer emergencies involving tourists.

Nerez said they will continue conducting training to produce more tourist cops.

Senior Supt. Erson Digal, director of Cebu Provincial Police Office, said they needed 60 more tourist cops as the 21 who were recently deployed in Cebu are not enough because there are many beach resorts in the province.

In Cebu, the provincial tourist police will be assigned to popular destinations like the towns of Badian and Moalboal, Malapascua Island, Bantayan Island and Camotes Islands. (THE FREEMAN)