Manila offers police escorts, free rides for tourists

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Police District (MPD) is offering tourists their own police escorts and free rides while sightseeing, in a bid to regain their trust and confidence following the deaths of eight Hong Kong tourists in the Luneta hostage crisis more than a year ago, an official said yesterday.

MPD director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla ordered the tourist police to be on standby for any tourist – Filipino or foreigner – seeking their company or assistance.

“Since Luneta is the premier destination of tourists in the country, we have devised several concepts to regain their trust and confidence,” said Luneta police community precinct commander Chief Inspector Randy Maluyo.

Upon their visit at Luneta, tourists are advised of the laws and ordinances in the city, such as the smoking ban, so they will not fall prey to mulcting policemen, Maluyo said.

“It has been observed that some tourists fall prey to extorting cops for simple infractions of existing ordinances in the city. Rongavilla issued instructions not to file charges on tourists who unknowingly violate existing city ordinances,” he said.

Maluyo said they also offer free rides with police escorts for tourists around Luneta and Intramuros. A calesa (horse-drawn cart) ride usually costs P300 for a half-hour tour. He said tourists can avail themselves of the free rides on properly-marked vehicles and calesas whose drivers have undergone seminars with the Department of Tourism.

Tourists who happen to ride unauthorized calesas are advised to pass by the Luneta police precinct to get themselves a police escort so that they will not be cheated or robbed, Maluyo said.

He also tapped photographers and vendors in Luneta and Intramuros to help secure these areas against criminals, adding that they have police-issued identification cards.

Maluyo is currently coordinating with souvenir shops to put up a stall near the Luneta police precinct where tourists can avail discounted souvenirs. “We have received reports of a number of tourists victimized by ambulant vendors who offer souvenirs at exorbitant prices,” he said.

Next in Maluyo’s plan is to offer free medical consultation services to tourists on sightseeing trips in Luneta and Intramuros.