The Philippine National Police’s (PNP) equipment budget next year would increase by P5 billion to enable the police force to meet its guarantee of a 15-minute maximum response time to all distress calls in urban areas.
Senate Minority Leader Ralph G. Recto said senators agreed to hike the PNP’s capital outlay (CO) after noticing that it will be cut from P3.82 billion this year to P3.37 billion next year, or by P500 million during budget deliberations into the proposed P3.35-trillion national budget for 2017.
Recto said a lower budget for the PNP “could slow down its momentum in battling crime.”
It was Recto who made the proposal during the Senate plenary debates on the 2017 budget of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and was accepted by Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate finance committee.
The P5-billion augmentation for PNP logistical modernization will be lodged in the P67.5-billion Unprogrammed Fund in the national budget.
In its report, the PNP said it lacks 168,851 long firearms, and half of its 6,169 vehicle fleet need to be replaced or are near decommissioning.
But in a recent testimony before the Senate, Director General Ronald de la Rosa, PNP Chief, gave a higher estimate of lack in equipment, “of some 18,000 short firearms, 10,000 long firearms, and 16,356 vehicles.”
“On paper, there’s an average three patrol cars per city and town, which is way below what is needed,” Recto said.
“The PNP is also short of boats, with 900 urgently needed, or one per coastal town, so that the maritime police can run after illegal fishers, polluters and sea-borne criminals,” he added.
Another area requiring huge investment is communication, especially the nationwide 911 network.
Recto said the additional funds would allow the PNP to construct 80 police stations at a total cost of P425 million, and 47 provincial offices costing P493 million.
Under its proposal, the PNP plans to buy 256 motorcycles, 132 personnel carriers, 136 light transport vehicles, 229 patrol boats, 283 satellite phones and P2-billion worth of anti-terrorism equipment.
The post P5-B Budget Hike Seen for PNP Next Year appeared first on Manila Bulletin.
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