Don Herrington
2004-07-06 00:05:53 UTC
http://www.inq7.net/met/2004/jul/06/met_3-1.htm for more
Antiriot cops now Tourist friendly
Posted: 11:43 PM (Manila Time) | Jul. 05, 2004
By Luige del Puerto
Inquirer News Service
******FROM anti-riot policemen to protectors of tourists.******
[This is just one signals many of those of us who are expats here see
that indicate the Philippines, after the recent election, will attract
more retirees and tourist, both expats and balikbayans to this now
more stable and always very livable, affordable and, loveable county.
Very best always,
Don
www.livinginthephilippines.com
3,200 member Free mailing list, Live, Retire, Travel, Business
Philippines
]
It must take a great psychological leap from wielding truncheons to
drive away protesters, to saying a polite "hello" to tourists, but
that is exactly what the National Capital Region Police Office command
had in mind.
On Wednesday, around 1,000 members of the metropolis' civil
disturbance management (CDM) unit would give up their shields and
truncheons and instead start learning to greet tourists in Japanese,
Chinese or probably even French, NCRPO chief Director Ricardo De Leon
said Monday.
The project intends to erase the image of Metro Manila as a place
where protest rallies are dispersed through violent means.
"We're back to normal. And we need to do more 'development
activities'," De Leon told reporters.
"We have so many CDMs, around 1,000 of them. With Task Force Kalayaan,
we are going to reorient them to become tourist policemen. They will
be called the TOP cops."
TOP means tourism-oriented police, the NCRPO chief said.
"This is the new approach. We will set aside our shields and
truncheons and look forward to making our country a safe tourist
destination," he added, even as he appealed to opposition groups to do
more "developmental" activities, meaning to stop taking to the
streets.
Antiriot cops now Tourist friendly
Posted: 11:43 PM (Manila Time) | Jul. 05, 2004
By Luige del Puerto
Inquirer News Service
******FROM anti-riot policemen to protectors of tourists.******
[This is just one signals many of those of us who are expats here see
that indicate the Philippines, after the recent election, will attract
more retirees and tourist, both expats and balikbayans to this now
more stable and always very livable, affordable and, loveable county.
Very best always,
Don
www.livinginthephilippines.com
3,200 member Free mailing list, Live, Retire, Travel, Business
Philippines
]
It must take a great psychological leap from wielding truncheons to
drive away protesters, to saying a polite "hello" to tourists, but
that is exactly what the National Capital Region Police Office command
had in mind.
On Wednesday, around 1,000 members of the metropolis' civil
disturbance management (CDM) unit would give up their shields and
truncheons and instead start learning to greet tourists in Japanese,
Chinese or probably even French, NCRPO chief Director Ricardo De Leon
said Monday.
The project intends to erase the image of Metro Manila as a place
where protest rallies are dispersed through violent means.
"We're back to normal. And we need to do more 'development
activities'," De Leon told reporters.
"We have so many CDMs, around 1,000 of them. With Task Force Kalayaan,
we are going to reorient them to become tourist policemen. They will
be called the TOP cops."
TOP means tourism-oriented police, the NCRPO chief said.
"This is the new approach. We will set aside our shields and
truncheons and look forward to making our country a safe tourist
destination," he added, even as he appealed to opposition groups to do
more "developmental" activities, meaning to stop taking to the
streets.