Tacloban: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) distributed 50 Class 1 motorcycles to police units in Eastern Visayas to strengthen the mobility and response capability of the Philippine National Police (PNP), particularly its Tourist Police Units.
According to Philippines News Agency, the motorcycles were distributed to eight police offices under the Police Regional Office - Eastern Visayas. Both the Leyte Police and the Tacloban City Police received eight units each. Meanwhile, the Southern Leyte Police was allocated nine units, while the Biliran, Ormoc City, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar police offices received five units each.
DILG Secretary Juanito Victor 'Jonvic' Remulla led the turnover ceremony and emphasized the agency's commitment to providing equipment to the PNP to enhance police mobility and enable personnel to perform their duties more effectively. Remulla expressed pride in the PNP's achievements, noting its high performance ranking and strong public trust.
Present at the event were Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla, Eastern Samar Governor Ralph Vincent Evardone, Samar Vice Governor Arnold Tan, Tacloban Vice Mayor Raymund Romualdez, and Ormoc City Vice Mayor Carmelo Locsin Jr. Remulla assured continued support for the PNP, emphasizing the importance of police mobility in performing duties efficiently.
The distribution is part of the DILG's nationwide rollout of new light and heavy motorcycles and emergency response vehicles for the PNP. This initiative supports the Unified Emergency Services System and aims to improve police mobility, particularly in high-traffic areas, tourist destinations, and other operational areas. The motorcycles are expected to help police officers respond more quickly by allowing them to navigate traffic and narrow roads more efficiently.
In his message, Governor Petilla thanked the DILG for the assistance and assured the department of the provincial government's continued support for its programs. He emphasized the importance of the DILG initiatives related to peace and order and pledged support for maintaining peace and order in the region.
The 50 motorcycles are specifically intended for Tourist Police Units in Eastern Visayas to enhance police visibility and mobility in tourist destinations and other areas requiring increased police presence.
