Metro Manila cops allowed ‘work-near-home’ arrangement during the holiday season

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) announced on Friday that it would allow the deployment of policemen near their residences during the holiday season.

NCRPO chief Major General Vicente Danao Jr. said this complies with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Dionardo Carlos' order to let police officers spend time with their families during the holidays while working at the nearest police station from their homes.

"Whatever our CPNP will say regarding this, guaranteed that we shall support and make it happen without compromising our task to keep Metro Manila safe and secure during the celebration of Christmas season and other holidays ahead," Danao said in a statement.

The work-near-home policy was originally started during the term of former PNP chief and current Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa to boost the morale of police officers nationwide and to put an end to the sorrowful scene of a child waiting for his parents to come home on Christmas eve.

"I myself experienced this. And I have accepted this as a matter of lifestyle which only uniformed servicemen will understand. I am grateful for my children for their sympathy but it sure is better if I was blessed with the chance to come home to them as most fathers do on Christmas eve,” Danao said.

“This is what I wanted my men to experience and this is what I wanted them to do,” he added.

Danao also welcomed at least 2,522 newly promoted police officers at the NCRPO Grandstand, Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City on Thursday.

At least 221 police commissioned officers and 2,301 police non-commissioned officers successfully passed the rigid screening and deliberation of uniformed personnel for the Second Level Regular Promotion Program for the Calendar Year 2021. — DVM, GMA News