MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has urged the graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) “Layag-Diwa” Class of 2024 to use the technology in fighting crimes and serving the Filipino people.
At the 45th PNPA Commencement Exercises in Silang, Cavite, President Marcos urged 223 new uniformed personnel that they should use the modern technology as a leverage to do their job.
“Most of you were born when the internet was no longer in its infancy, and you were shaped to be tech savvy, digital natives. I challenge you to leverage that technology that you are familiar with as aids in protecting and serving our people, especially in battling cybercrime. I ask you to embrace smart policing, fire prevention, and penology,” Marcos said.
But there is still no substitute for pounding the streets, he stressed.
“When it comes to assuring the people, analog will always beat digital,” according to the President.
Still, he said, “there is now a need to patrol the information highway for robbers lurk there, too. The fight against crime is now a potent mix of gadgets and war rooms, and old-fashioned grunt work, by gritty police officers.”
The Chief Executive also urged PNPA graduates set to join the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to maximize information technology to improve service deliveries at a low cost.
“We should not be content with current fire response time, but instead strive to make it faster. We should not crow about jail improvements, but we should push the envelope further, lessening congestion. And most of those in uniform have kept the values and principles that define who public servants truly are,” Marcos said.
He added: “Let me remind you that your career should not be measured by the speed you have moved up the ranks alone, but by the quality of the service that you have given to our people… It is to do as much good as often to as many without expecting any reward in return, because service itself is our reward.”
The Class of 2024 is the final group of PNPA graduates who will be assigned to the Tri-Bureau Service (PNP, BFP and BJMP) as the academy will exclusively produce police lieutenants beginning in 2025.
The transition in the academy is in accordance with Republic Act 11279, which amended RA 6975 by transferring the organizational control and management of the PNPA from the Philippine Public Safety College to the PNP./PN
