Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla proposed a “buy one, give one” scheme to Metro Manila mayors, offering to match every police vehicle they procure with an additional unit from the national government.
“What I am proposing is we go back-to-back. You buy one, we give you one,” Remulla told local chief executives at the regional Peace and Order Council – National Capital Region (NCR) meeting in Taguig.
He said the procurement of additional police vehicles is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen emergency and crisis response mechanisms nationwide.
“There is a clear disparity. Metro Manila, with over 14 million people, has only 635 police vehicles. Cavite, with 4.5 million people, has 801. This has to be corrected,” he said.
He said the DILG also plans to acquire more motorcycles that match the riding competency of police personnel.
“Fifty percent of our police force cannot drive, but 90 percent know how to ride a scooter. That is a gap we must address,” Remulla said.
Remulla said the DILG is also set to procure mini fire trucks that can access narrow alleys in densely populated areas to improve fire response operations.
He led the recent turnover of 41 electric vehicles procured by the Valenzuela City through the 2024 Local Government Support Fund, promoting greener mobility and more efficient law enforcement operations.
At the 3rd Hotel Sales and Marketing Association Sales and Marketing Summit in Manila on Friday, Remulla outlined the DILG’s priority programs in public safety, including the upcoming launch of the unified emergency 911 system, nationwide installation of closed-circuit television sets, and procurement of patrol vehicles to improve emergency response capabilities.
Remulla said the whole-of-government approach is in motion to strengthen the tourism sector by ensuring peace, order and responsive governance.
“The President is working very hard to restore the institutions of governance and the rule of law, which are essential in addressing longstanding injustices. And that is the backbone of what we would do for the tourism industry,” Remulla said.
