Manila: The Police Regional Office (PRO) 8 has turned over 54 high-definition body-worn cameras to its field offices as part of its initiative to modernize the region's police force and enhance the law enforcement group's operational readiness. The body-worn cameras will also help ensure transparency in police engagement and strengthen public trust in the agency's law enforcement effort, PRO-8 Regional Director Brig. Gen. Jay Cumigad said during the ceremonial turnover.

According to Philippines News Agency, the cameras are intended for police offices in Eastern Visayas' six provinces and two major cities, as well as the regional office. PRO-8 plans to procure more body cameras for all police stations across the six provinces. The 54 new body-worn cameras are on top of the 100 units that were provided by the Philippine National Police main headquarters that local policemen have been using during operations, Cumigad stated.

"This will not address the five-minute response time of our law enforcers, but this will help in telling and showing the real-time response of our patrollers on the ground," Cumigad told reporters. Each body camera is internet-ready and will provide real-time images to the control once activated. Aside from the image the camera transmits to the control, it also has audio features where those who are monitoring it can hear what the people on the ground are discussing.

For the 54 units of body cameras, 16 are allocated to the Ormoc City police office and 10 to the Tacloban City police office. Recipients of five units of cameras each are the police provincial offices (PPO) in Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar, and Eastern Samar. The PPOs in Northern Samar and Biliran received three units each, while the Regional Tactical Operations Center received two cameras.