Manila City Hall, Manila police, as well as representatives of various colleges and universities in the city on Tuesday signed an accord to better protect students and the teaching community from criminal elements prowling the University Belt area.
The memorandum of agreement for peace, safety and security was signed by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Manila Police officials, as well as officials from the University Belt Consortium.
The group is made up of Adamson University, Arellano Centro Escolar, Far Eastern, Feati, Lyceum of the Philippines, Manuel L. Quezon universities, Mapua Institute of Technology, National University, University of the East, University of Manila, and University of Santo Tomas.
Besides beefing up security in the area, Manila Police ordered the deployment of patrol and plainclothes agents from 6 a.m. to 10 in the evening during school days. Traffic police as well as barangay security officers were also instructed to make more frequent visibility patrols to deter criminals.
The U-Belt consortium, on the other hand, agreed to implement a monitoring and reporting system for all criminal activities that take place in their area. The information will be passed on to other members for their security.
The signing of the MOA comes at the heels of various robbery-holdups, drug trafficking and abuse and reports of muggings in the area, the Journal reported.
