THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will procure more patrol vehicles in support of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) effort to boost police mobility and visibility and its new 5-Minute Response Time Strategy under PNP chief General Nicolas Torre III.
In a statement, the PNP said DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla made the commitment during a command conference on Friday, June 13, 2025, as he expressed the DILG’s full support for the PNP’s evolving operational landscape.
At the center of the discussions were the presentations of the operational plans of Police Regional Offices in response to the directive of Torre to implement reforms aimed at reshaping frontline policing.
National Capital Region Police Office Director Major General Anthony Aberin presented a comprehensive plan that includes the full implementation of the 5-minute response strategy, enhancement of logistical readiness, regular training for personnel, and the conduct of simulation (Simex), communication (Comex), and capability (Capex) exercises.
He also laid out the eight hours duty per shift to ensure constant operational presence, the intensification of Red Team operations, and the deactivation of Police Community Precincts (PCPs), substations, and police boxes as part of the shift toward a fully mobile police force.
Central Luzon Police Office Director Brigadier General Jean Fajardo and Calabarzon police director Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Lucas also presented their respective plans as they reaffirmed their commitment to the 5-minute response policy and echoed the plan to deactivate fixed posts in favor of a more mobile and agile deployment.
Lucas raised the need for an immediate inventory and optimization of patrol vehicles to support mobility.
The 5-Minute Response Time Strategy signals a major departure from traditional precinct-based policing, transforming police presence into a more mobile, proactive, and people-centered approach in a bid to ensure that calls for help are answered swiftly, professionally, and at any hour.
It will be implemented through the enforcement of the 911 emergency hotline, an integrated support system that is a whole-of-government initiative designed to provide swift, coordinated, and life-saving assistance to the public.
“This transformation goes beyond patrol deployment. It’s about rebuilding trust through swift action, professionalism, and accountability -- while remaining firmly anchored on the rule of law, human rights, and due process,” said Torre. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)