To fulfill its aim to beef up the capability of village watchmen in Quezon City, a free-day training course on the national sport arnis was offered to 81 public safety officers from 25 barangays.
Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, along with the representatives of the Rotary Club of New Manila and Arnis Philippines Inc., recently launched the program to back the advocacy of teaching the Filipino martial arts, especially to village watchmen since they are prohibited from possessing and using any firearm in line with their duty.
“I support this program because I believe that arnis is an effective tool to protect yourself and other people, especially for our barangay tanod. For the last two years, the arnis program is no longer new to them. This is one kind of a good advocacy,” she said.
Belmonte said BPSOs are now more equipped with such martial art to be able to protect themselves from any harm of lawless elements.
The 81 graduates were awarded with certificates and their own pair of arnis sticks which they could use during foot patrols, especially at dark.