𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐄𝐬𝐤𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐚: 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐍 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘, 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 – 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐊𝐢𝐫𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐊𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐍𝐏-𝟏𝟑, 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐞𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧.

“I encourage our police officers and men and the general public to display the same spirit of unity as one way of keeping the legacy of our forefathers whose sacrifices brought us to where we are today,” said Kraft in his speech during the National Heroes’ Day ceremony at Camp Rafael C. Rodriguez, Butuan City, August 28, 2023.

DepEd Caraga Regional Director Maria Ines C. Asuncion, CESO IV, expressed full support and appreciation for the PNP’s initiative, saying that “safety and security of our educational institutions is a collective responsibility that demands proactive measures and collaborative efforts, and increasing police visibility in schools creates a haven for learning while fostering positive relationships between our police officers and the community, especially among parents, educators, and students."

As a strategic placement of law enforcement officers in schools throughout Caraga, this step ensures safety protocols. It reinforces students, teachers, and the community's security and well-being. The intensified efforts also strengthen collaborative relationships between the police and the school communities.

More importantly, this initiative recognizes the pivotal roles of schools in fostering safe and secure environments. Both regional directors thus committed to engaging all stakeholders toward heightened awareness of peace efforts and safety response capabilities. Kraft further explained that the police officers in schools can act as guardians, mentors, and counselors to students. Their presence allows for early intervention and support for students facing various issues, especially those children in conflict with the law (CICL) and other police matters. The key is to ensure a balanced environment where safety and security promote conducive learning and personal growth for learners.

The program has already gained appreciation from teachers, parents, school officials, and students.

“It’s good because it enhances the feeling of being safe,” said Hermiette Ferrer Lerog, Principal of Caraga Regional Science High School in Surigao City. He added that the police officers also facilitated traffic flow to help school children cross the street safely toward the school. Marivic Mag-Aso Pantonial, Principal of Ong Yiu Central Elementary School in Butuan City, welcomed the weekly police presence in their school, stressing the need for children to be informed about their rights and their roles in keeping the peace and security in the community. Edwin Capon, School Head at Puting Bato National High School in Cabadbaran City, recalled that police and military operatives have helped promote sustainable peace through the NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict).

Indeed, the said school leaders acknowledged that the program has maintained a balanced and non-threatening police presence in schools that fostered collaborative efforts between the PNP and DepEd, ensured learner support and enhanced peaceful community relationships.

𝐄𝐍𝐃