CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga -- A total of 241 new police recruits took their oath of office during the flag raising ceremony held at the Police Regional Office-3 (PRO3) parade grounds here on Wednesday.

Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, PRO3 director, administered the oath taking of the police recruits after they were presented by Senior Superintendent Flynn Dongbo, chief of the Regional Personnel and Human Resource Development Division.

The 241 successful applicants, all of whom are males, were given the rank of Police Officer 1 (PO1), said Petrasanta.

He said that they were chosen after a stringent screening process conducted by the Regional Screening Committee on Recruitment.

After their oath-taking ceremony, the police recruits will further undergo one-year training at the Regional Training School 3 in Magalang, Pampanga.

In his message to the new police recruits, Petrasanta advised them to always keep in mind the people's rights while enforcing the law without fear or favor. He reminded them that "PRO3 is the Home of the Citizen-friendly Policeman and Protector of Human Rights."

"By now, it should be clear that you need to have a major transformation –from plain civilians to true police officers. The whole PNP itself is undergoing a major change through its Integrated Transformation Program," he said.

Dongbo, for his part said the hiring of the 241 PO1s completes the unfilled quota of the PNP Recruitment Program for the year 2013.