DOT teams up with cops to protect tourists

Published December 13, 2010 3:07pm

The Department of Tourism has joined hands with the Philippine National Police to ensure the safety and security of local and foreign tourists. On Monday, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was forged in Camp Crame, Quezon City for the establishment of the Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection (TOPCOP) program. The agreement was signed by Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim and PNP Chief, Director General Raul Bacalzo. The MOA states the creation of special units within the PNP to ensure the safety of tourists in popular travel destinations throughout the country. â€œIn coordination with Tourism authorities, the PNP is fielding more police personnel to man these Special Tourist Protection Units as preemptive measure against crime syndicates that prey on foreign and local tourists," Bacalzo said. The DOT has identified 14 travel destinations as pilot project areas for the TOPCOP program. These are:

Cebu

Camarines Sur

Metro Manila

Baguio City

Davao City

Boracay

Cagayan de Oro

Zambales

Bohol

Puerto Princesa City

Camiguin

Cagayan Valley

Negros Oriental, and

Ilocos Norte. The PNP personnel who will be detailed in the TOPCOP program will have the following qualifications:

25-45 years old

at least 5â€™8"in height

with lean and athletic physique, and

with good command of English and other foreign languages. The TOPCOP program provides continuing training and education for PNP personnel such as Tourism Awareness Seminar, Mabuhay Host Seminar, Cultural Sensitivity Seminar, Emergency Response &Life Saving, Crisis Management, Community-based Guiding, Foreign Language and Familiarization Tours. Republic Act 9593 or the Tourism Act of 2009 provides the establishment of a Tourism Security Force within the PNP to assist in maintaining peace and order in areas with high tourism traffic. The same law abolished the Tourist Security Unit of the Department of Tourism and in its place established the Tourism Security Force within the PNP. â€“ VVP, GMANews.TV

Tags: departmentoftourism, philippinenationalpolice