IN LINE with the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) directive to enhance emergency responsiveness, the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) is pushing to establish its own command center at its headquarters to bolster operational coordination and reduce response times.
MCPO spokesperson Lt. Col. Mercy Villaro said the facility is being proposed to support their goal of achieving a three-minute response time to emergencies and incidents within the city, an initiative aligned with the directive of newly installed PNP Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III.
Torre earlier ordered all PNP units nationwide to limit emergency response time to just three minutes, enforce eight-hour work shifts for personnel, and conduct a full inventory of police equipment to ensure readiness.
To gain insights on setting up the proposed command center, Villaro visited the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) on Wednesday June 4, to assess the facility’s operations and determine what equipment and systems are needed.
“We looked for best practices and checked what equipment was needed so that the MCPO can start monitoring CCTVs in various areas of the city,” Villaro said.
Quick response
Villaro emphasized that while the police currently have shared access to the CDRRMO’s closed-circuit television network, an independent command center would allow real-time monitoring, quicker coordination, and faster deployment of units during emergencies.
She added that they believe it is necessary to have their own command center to make coordination easier and response times faster.
The proposal will be formally submitted to the city government, which is expected to fund the project.
The move also follows instructions from Brig. Gen. Redrico Atienza Maranan, the regional police director, urging all police offices to set up their own command centers to ensure continuous monitoring of their respective areas of responsibility.
Villaro hopes that once the proposal is approved, the command center will significantly enhance police visibility, situational awareness, and timely response throughout Mandaue City. / CAV