THE Police Regional Office (PRO) in Eastern Visayas has raised a total of P8,626,275 from individual voluntary contributions among its ranks for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crisis fund on April 18, 2020.
“The men and women of PRO-Eastern Visayas are one with the government in its effort to help save lives of our fellow Filipinos from the socioeconomic impact brought about by Covid-19 pandemic," said Brigadier General Bernabe Balba, police regional director.
"We are doing this voluntarily to help ease the burden suffered by our country in this time of national health emergency,” added the police official.
Lieutenant Colonel Ma. Bella Rentuaya, police regional spokesperson, said the initiative is an offshoot of a fund-raising project launched by Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Archie Francisco Gamboa on April 14, 2020 dubbed as “Team PNP Bayanihan Fund Challenge.”
The PNP called on all its personnel, regardless of rank and position, to practice the spirit of volunteerism to assist in augmenting funds in support for the government's Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
The move is the PNP’s response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for the entire Filipino nation to raise funds to support the campaign of the government and help those who are greatly affected by the Covid-19 crisis, particularly those belonging to the poorest of the poor families, according to PRO-Eastern Visayas in a statement.
Meanwhile, Balba believed that through their collective efforts, a simple act of kindness within the PNP "will certainly go a long way in assisting our fellowmen survive this protracted crisis." (SunStar Philippines)