Have you noticed lately the visibility of our police officers? Well if you do, these are the initiatives of the new Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, PGen Rodolfo S. Azurin, Jr. Currently, the new PNP Chief's program is bound to Malasakit, Kaayusan, Kapayapaan tungo sa Kaunlaran.

I believed their visibility is really important today since the face-to-face classes had already started and we truly need the presence of these police officers to keep not only our children safe but the whole community.

The "Ber" months had started already and we all know what usually happens during this time of the year. While people are merry-making others are money-making by doing illegal activities such as holdups, snatching, and scams.

Though there is the not so good perception about the police officers, we cannot void that there are still more police officers who do good or what we call "mababait" just like what PLtCol Dexter Versola mentioned in our lunch meeting with him a week ago. He mentioned that our Police Officers are naturally mababait, and some needs to be reformed.

PLt Col Dexter Versola is the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO)'s Spokesperson, he is the main Police Officer who faces the media when there's a need for inquiries, clarification, and interviews with regards to the activities of the NCRPO under the leadership of the new Regional Director, PBGen Jonnel C. Estomo. 

In line with the programs of the PNP, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO's) new Regional Director, PBGen Jonnel C. Estomo, enforces and implements the S.A.F.E. program, which he used when he was still the Provincial Director in Cavite, then it was later on used in Region 5. The SAFE Program stands for Seen Appreciated Felt Extraordinary.

The Police must be seen.
All programs must be appreciated by the people.
All programs must be felt by the people.
The actions of the Police should be extraordinary.

PLtCol Versola gave the viewpoint of the current leadership which is the "rule of law." All programs, projects, and activities of NCRPO are based on pertaining laws. If the previous leadership is aggressive this time it's calmer and always bound to the rule of law.
Another piece of information shared by PLtCol Versola is the quad concept of operation of the PNP.
Prevent crime by law enforcement operations.
Preempt crime through police intelligence.
Investigate crime through the investigation directorate.
Organize the police and community through Police Community Relations.

There is more to explain and share but so far this is the information that mainly stuck to my mind. For more details you can always check their FB page which SAFE NCRPO.

One of the many iconic hotels in the metro that will open its doors and the one that will celebrate its historic founding anniversary, The Manila Hotel plans to partially open its doors to its valued guests, with the famed Café Ilang Ilang, the Lobby Lounge, and the Delicatessen resuming operations on July 3, 2020. A rebirth of sorts after months of following the government’s quarantine protocols, the hotel has adjusted along with the rest of the world in navigating the “new normal,” and puts a high premium on the well-being of guests.

With the lobby shining bright anew signifying eternal hope, The Manila Hotel commemorates its 108th founding anniversary on July 4 by welcoming guests with an enduring brand of service that is now focused on enhanced health, hygiene, and sanitation protocols in line with DOH guidelines.

As the hotel prepares for the reopening, Atty Joey Lina, the president of The Manila Hotel, assures the public, “You are safe here. We have taken every precaution to heart so you and your loved ones can have peace of mind when you visit or stay with us.”

To its valued guests who are waiting for Café Ilang Ilang to open, The Manila Hotel offers its 108th Anniversary Promo that gives the first 108 customers for the first 108 days of its reopening (including Saturdays and Sundays) a special dining rate of only Php1,250 for lunch, and only Php1,550 for dinner. Café Ilang Ilang likewise returns with a new system for dining where guests can “order and eat all you can,” meaning they can order as much food as they want from the selection of dishes at a fixed price.

Both Café Ilang Ilang and the Lobby Lounge will be open with limited seating capacity. Thorough sanitation procedures will be implemented, and guests can order using disposable menu, eat using cutlery in sealed containers, and even use tables with acrylic dividers. Front-facing personnel communicating with guests like Guest Services Officers (GSOs) and waiters will don masks, gloves, and face shields. To limit contact with guests, Café Ilang Ilang is also fine-tuning its contactless ordering and payment system.

Adopting best practices, the hotel launches a comprehensive initiative to assure its patrons they are safe at The Manila Hotel. High-traffic public areas will have hygiene reminder signages and distance indicators, and guests will be asked to undergo mandatory temperature checks, and health declaration procedure. Limited capacity will also be implemented in elevators, while several hotel facilities will remain closed including the spa, swimming pool, gym, and other areas.

High-touch points like door handles, elevator buttons, public area furniture, and others will be sanitized multiple times per day using UV technology. Tests reveal that UV sanitation greatly reduces the bacteria count on surfaces, as demonstrated by lower RLU readings—whose value is used as a measure of surface cleanliness—after the procedure.

Barring announcements from the government to the contrary, the hotel also plans to start accepting room bookings by August 2020. The public will be assured of rooms thoroughly cleaned first with UV-C light technology to eliminate germs, bacteria, and viruses; followed by medical-grade sterilizing and disinfecting solution. A change of fresh and sanitized linens; sanitation of touch points in the room including remote controls, lamps, etc.; and thorough bathroom disinfection are also art of the procedure. Guests will also receive personal wellness kits, issued a UV-sanitized keycard, and arrive to guestrooms with a seal of assurance that they are the first to enter the sanitized environment.

Because taking care of its own people means they can take better care of guests, The Manila Hotel has invested on testing its staff upon return to work to ensure they are healthy. The culinary team strictly adheres to stringent protocols on proper hygiene, hand washing, and food handling. Staff will be required to wear PPEs as needed, and a strict implementation of distancing measures will be done in the offices, front desk, and other areas frequent by guests.

The Manila Hotel looks forward to welcoming both loyal and new guests with the kind of service it is known for, with the assurance that “YOU ARE SAFE HERE” is not just a tagline but a commitment it truly means to uphold.