The Philippine National Police is stepping up public safety campaigns on responsible firearm ownership and emergency preparedness following recent firearm-related incidents involving minors in school settings.
The PNP Civil Security Group (CSG) has launched a nationwide Gun Safety Advocacy Campaign urging licensed firearm holders to practice proper handling and secure storage to prevent unauthorized access to firearms.
The campaign carries the tagline “Own a gun responsibly. Gun safety is a continuing duty” and emphasizes that lawful firearm ownership comes with responsibilities beyond meeting licensing requirements.
“Recent firearm-related incidents involving minors remind us that gun safety cannot be taken for granted. We are strengthening our advocacy to ensure that legally owned firearms are properly handled, securely stored and kept away from unauthorized persons,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a news release Sunday.
The campaign promotes responsible firearm ownership, proper storage and safe handling, as well as measures to prevent legally owned guns from reaching people who are not authorized to possess them.
The PNP has directed all Police Regional Offices and local police units to strengthen public information efforts on responsible firearm ownership. The CSG was also instructed to conduct gun safety seminars and stakeholder engagements nationwide.
“Enforcement is important but prevention can stop an incident from happening in the first place. Through public education and community participation, we want responsible firearm ownership and safe handling to become part of everyday practice,” Nartatez said.
The campaign supports the PNP Focused Agenda, particularly the Enhanced Managing Police Operations program, by promoting greater responsibility among firearm owners and emphasizing preventive measures against firearm-related incidents.
Meanwhile, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is encouraging students, teachers and school personnel to familiarize themselves with ALICE, a set of response options for active shooter and other violent emergencies.
ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate.
NCRPO Officer-in-Charge Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano said preparedness and presence of mind are important during emergencies, with people encouraged to assess the circumstances and choose the safest available response.
“During an emergency, every second matters. We want our students, teachers, school personnel and the entire Metro Manila community to remember ALICE – not as a rigid sequence, but as a set of options that can help them respond quickly and appropriately when faced with danger,” Abrahano said in a separate news release.
He said the safest response depends on the circumstances, and the public should continuously assess the situation rather than automatically follow a fixed sequence.
“ALICE reminds us that we have options. The important thing is to stay as calm as possible, assess the danger, act decisively and choose the option that gives you the best chance of getting away from harm,” Abrahano said.
Abrahano also encouraged schools and other institutions to include emergency preparedness in their safety programs, including familiarization with evacuation routes, safe areas and procedures for communicating with authorities during emergenc
Photo courtesy of Manila Times
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