The Philippine National Police (PNP) goes on full alert beginning today.
This is in view of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Summit this week.
PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa made the announcement at the flag-raising ceremony at the PNP Headquarters on Monday morning.
“I am declaring a full alert status starting today hanggang matapos ang ASEAN Summit (I am declaring a full alert status starting today until the end of the ASEAN Summit),” he stated.
“Good luck sa atin. Sana zero incident (Good luck to us. I hope it is zero incident),” he added.
PNP-National Capital Region Office (NCRPO) Director Oscar Albayalde says, the security preparations are not as heavy and comprehensive as the APEC Leaders' Summit in November 2015 and the visit of Pope Francis in January 2015.
He notes that President Rodrigo Duterte wants to avoid ‘overacting’ or ‘OA’ on the part of the police.
Albayalde says, although there is work suspension in government offices in the cities of Pasay, Makati and Manila on Thursday, he does not expect the traffic congestion to ease.
This is because a ‘stop and go’ traffic system will be enforced to accommodate the trips of Very Important Persons (VIPs) attending the summit.
Operations in government offices and classes in public schools are suspended in Metro Manila on Friday.
The ASEAN Summit and related meetings will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City this week from Wednesday (April 26) to Saturday (April 29).