(Eagle News)–The Philippine National Police will implement a localization program that will see some police personnel assigned to their areas of residence or near them.
“Assignment to one’s hometown, province or region gives a police officer the sense of ownership of the locality that he represents,” PNP Chief Camilo Cascolan said in a statement.
According to the PNP, the program which also sees the transfer done with a “corresponding replacement or swapping of personnel,” has been initiated by the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management, and is in accordance with Section 63 of Republic Act 8551 or the Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998.
The PNP said the law has a provision for PNP members with the ranks of patrolman/woman up to Police Executive Master Sergeant to be “assigned to the city and municipality of their recruitment and/or place of residence or if not possible, to the closest municipality, province or regions to his residence.”
According to Cascolan, the program was “one way to tell to our personnel that we expect the best performance from them and to tell them that we are taking care of them.”
“The said program will (help ensure) maximum efficiency and more effective law enforcement by prioritizing the welfare of every PNP personnel and reinforcing family solidarity,” Cascolan said.
According to DPRM records, 8,561 personnel have expressed their intent to be reassigned to their places of residence, but 7,410 PNCOs qualified for the program.
Among reassignment requests, 4,742 personnel have signified a transfer to the National Capital Region, 841 PNCOs to CALABARZON, 475 personnel to Central Luzon, and 475 cops to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
The rest of the regions got less than 200 localization requests.
The DPRM said that “only applicant(s) who submitted affidavit of undertaking availing the localization of assignment will be considered for processing.”
The applicant also must be cleared of money and property accountabilities from his present office or unit.
