Saturday, October 11, 2008 Police to prioritize moral recovery program
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) will be undergoing a moral recovery program in its bid to put a stop to the continuous increase in social crimes throughout the country.
"There is a need for moral recovery, not only in the police, but in the whole country," Director General Jesus A. Verzosa told reporters during his visit in Davao City last Wednesday and Thursday.
Verzosa said the most prevalent crimes haunting today's societies are usually victimless crimes, wherein the perpetrators of the crime are also the victims.
"These crimes are usually drugs, prostitution, and similar offenses," Verzosa said.
One of the projects slated by Verzosa for the police is the creation of a "moral values school" in every regional office of the agency.
"This is in line with sustaining the PNP Integrated Transformation Program (ITP)," Verzosa added.
It is a comprehensive reform agenda launched during the term of former police chief Arturo Lomibao that aims to transform the PNP into a more capable, effective, and credible force.
"The moral values school is a long-term value formation for our PNP personnel," he said.
The curriculum of the program will be based on the popular Purpose-Driven Life, where all the common values will be taught and practiced.
He stated his commitment to continue the initial gains of the ITP, which is manifested through the July 2008 Pulse Asia Survey where the PNP got a 49 percent public approval rating.
In the past five PNP leaderships that started with Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. until Verzosa's predecessor Avelino Razon Jr., the Comprehensive Reform Agenda to restore the credibility of the man in uniform was successfully carried out.
This has challenged Verzosa's leadership today to regain the trust and confidence of the public in the man in uniform. (CPM)
