NPD cops to teach students about safety, saying no to drugs

MANILA, Philippines - Northern Police District police officers will teach students at select public elementary schools in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela cities how to protect themselves and stay away from illegal drugs, an official said yesterday.

NPD director Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr. said police officers, particularly those with degrees in education, will be deployed to at least eight public elementary schools to kickstart the “Pulis Ko, Titser Ko” program.

“This is for free. Our way of helping the public, children in particular to gain enough knowledge on how to avoid or protect themselves from criminality,” Pagdilao said.

Classes would be held for only 40 minutes “at the most convenient time of the pupils” or depending on the schedule given by the school, he said.

Pagdilao said the police officers will assure the children that lawmen are there to serve and protect them. He said the police officers will also tackle child safety, welfare and development; values and spiritual enhancement; patriotism and nationalism; motivation and optimism; and fellowship through productive recreational activities.

Superintendent Ferdinand del Rosario, chief of the NPD-Community Relations Division, said the four Camanava police chiefs and Pagdilao already met with school superintendents last June 30 to “iron out some kinks” for the launch of the program.

Pagdilao assured residents of the northern part of Metro Manila that police officers are doing what they could to make their community a “peaceful and orderly place to live.” – Pete Laude