OPLAN TAMBULI

Cadets assigned at the BCPO joined in the conduct of Beat Patrol along the busy Public Market and the stretch of the famous Session Road in Baguio City.

On the weekends, there are a lot of tourists in the Summer Capital of the Philippines. They enjoy the beautiful tourist spots and the cool breeze while relaxing after a busy week. Due to the volume of visitors coming to the city during this period, Police Officers are highly busy.

Despite a large number of people on vacation, the BCPO must make an effort to ensure peace and order and to maintain public safety in the city. The Police Community Relations Branch (PCR) of the BCPO often does "Oplan Tambuli," a public announcement activity, using a mobile megaphone attached to their police cars as they drive through different areas. [1]

Being friendly and polite, especially to visitors, so they feel at home and can enjoy their stay, is one of the qualities of police officers in Baguio. Conducting OPLAN TAMBULI around the central business area to urge the public to secure their things is one of the BCPO's best practices I have seen.

The word "Tambuli" refers to a locally manufactured instrument made of a carabao horn that makes long, beautiful noises. Before Christianity came to our country, it was used to call villagers to a meeting of the barangay elders or to alert the community to hazards like fire or pirates. [2]

Like the Tambuli, the BCPO uses speakers to educate onlookers about their environment and personal property. This action aims to raise public awareness in line with anti-criminality campaigns for preserving peace and order within the relevant area.

As a future public safety officer, it is beneficial to become familiar with the methods and approaches used by police to deal with various circumstances in the field as early as possible. We are fortunate to have this station immersion because it allows us to learn from those with far more expertise. Learning that beat patrolling is an essential element of community policing. It will enable officers to build relationships with the community they serve and provides them with a firsthand understanding of the issues affecting that community. By walking the beat, officers can identify potential crime hotspots and develop strategies to prevent crimes.

____________________ [1]Pamela Mariz Geminiano March 7, 2019. (n.d.). Baguio PNP gives safety tips during Panagbenga. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved February 14, 2023, from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063939 [2]Philgbc. (2015, May 8). Cover: Tambuli. Philippine Green Building Council. Retrieved February 14, 2023, from https://philgbc.org/tambuli/#:~:text=In%20pre%2Dhispanic%20Philippines%2C%20the,well%2Dbeing%20of%20the%20tribe