The Philippine National Police, with the help of the ABS-CBN Foundation’s Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig, inaugurated the first ecological precinct in the country on Thursday.
The precinct, set up near Estero de Paco in Manila, will focus on the enforcement of environmental laws and regulations.
“Before, the police were just focused on peace and order and now, this is the first eco-precinct where we are recognizing that the crimes against the environment are a crime, it’s something that should not be done. That is the goal of the eco-precinct,” ABS-CBN Foundation managing director Gina Lopez said in a press release.
Chief Superintendent Isagani Genabe Jr., Manila Police District director, said the eco-precinct is the first in the country and that the MPD is committed to sustaining it.
“We will assign four police officers to supervise our eco-warriors. We will train these eco-warriors and deputize them so that if there are any irregularities, let’s say a violation of environmental ordinances, then they will apprehend with the assistance of the police,” he said.
He was referring to the River Warriors, community volunteers who help keep the esteros clean.
A second eco-precinct is planned near Estero de San Miguel behind Malacañang.
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Photo: ABS-CBN Foundation
