Support our tourist cops, LGUs told
by: Rachelle Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, Feb. 28 (PIA) – As the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office  (NOPPO) prepares to field out the newly-trained tourist police personnel to different tourist spots here, the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are encouraging the local government units (LGUs) to extend their support to the province's tourist security centers.

Arlene Alipio, officer in charge of the Standards Development Division in DOT Manila, in an interview said that supports in the form of sponsorships from the LGUs are welcome for the tourist police personnel.

“This program is implemented on a co-sharing basis. So we also ask for sponsorships from the local governments,” said Alipio.

PNP will also be giving additional support to the tourist police units, which soon will be established as a separate unit from the provincial police force, according to Sr. Supt. Anselmo Pinili, chief
of the PNP Public Safety Division Directorate and Operations in Camp Crame.

Pinili cited the Davao City government which promised to shoulder the uniform needs of the city's tourist policemen in addition to the one set of uniforms to be given by DOT.

“The support should come as a result of good coordination among not only the LGUs but also resort owners and local tourism councils because they will benefit from the influx of tourists here due to the presence of the tourist cops,” said Pinili.

He said that the tourist security centers will need an office of its own along with computer equipment, which he said can be provided by LGUs and other tourism groups for now as the PNP is on a limited budget. “Next year, this will be a part of our budget already but for now the funds are limited because this is a nationwide program,” explained Pinili.

A total of 50 cops in the province underwent the training conducted by the DOT and the Provincial Tourism Office on tourism awareness and even tourist guiding skills. “Our tourist policemen will be personally interacting with the tourists so they should also be able to give some
information about the tourist areas here,” said Alipio.

DOT requires tourist cops to be between 21 to 34 years old, 5'8” in height with pleasing personality and a good commande of the English language. “We set a criteria because they will enhance our image in the international community as a representative of our tourism industry,” she added. (RMN/PIA7 Negros Oriental)