Saturday, September 27, 2008 Police to put up own radio station
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is putting up an AM radio station that will serve as an emergency broadcast, weather warning, and mass communication system.
The radio station will primarily operate as a police broadcast service for anti-criminality and peace and order concerns; and as an emergency broadcast system for disaster preparedness and response during contingencies, to include weather forecast, and warning bulletins from concerned agencies.
A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed Friday among the PNP, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (Pag-asa).
The tripartite agreement was formalized by PNP chief Avelino Razon Jr., OCD administrator Glenn Rabonza, and Pag-asa director Frisco Nilo during signing ceremonies in Camp Crame.
The agreement will allow the PNP to operate the radio station in 1170 khz AM, a frequency assigned to the OCD. It provides joint use of the radio station for public safety, disaster preparedness, weather warning, and general law enforcement.
According to Rabonza, the OCD has been unable to operate the radio station over the past 10 or 15 years.
The OCD welcomes the proposal of the PNP to operate and manage the radio station that will serve the mutual needs of the PNP, OCD, Pag-asa, and other agencies for an effective mass communication and public information system.
The same opinion was shared by Director Nilo, adding that advance weather warning bulletins may be effectively disseminated to the public through the radio station.
For his part, Razon said the PNP will also utilize the radio station as an alternate communication system with mobile units and police outposts, and allot regular airtime for programs to promote advocacy to the overall crime prevention and public safety strategy.
"We hope that with the support of the concerned agencies, very soon we will have a radio station that will be operational to serve our mass communication requirements," Razon said. (VR/Sunnex)
