The “father” of the NCRPO has told the media at the press conference of the “Investour Forum” September 26, 2019, that Peace and Order plays a crucial role in tourism.
Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar acknowledged that tourism has been a major contributor to the gross income of the country and the PNP should be there to support.
“As in all business investment endeavors, peace and order is a pre-requisite to the success of our tourism industry,” Eleazar stressed. “The support towards the tourism industry sectors provided by the police is therefore critical and essential,” he added.
The NCRPO chief noted that one of the most dreaded pronouncements that a country can get is a travel ban which is generated by two factors: the peace and order situation of the area and health concerns in epidemic proportions.
Eleazar added that the classified places include places of historical significance such as the Rizal Park and Paco Park. Other areas included in the classification are five-star hotels and casinos, big shopping malls, business circuits and churches with historical significance.
58% decline in Major Crimes
The NCRPO chief attributes the active tourism industry in Metro Manila to a robust peace and order situation. “Compared to the last three years of the previous administration, the Duterte administration has recorded a 58% decline in the volume of major crimes, such as murder, homicide, rape, theft, robbery, kidnapping, carnapping, motornapping, and serious physical injuries.”
Eleazar: These are the factors
The peace and order situation in the Metro is attributed to the following: the government’s successful war on drugs, the increase in the police force that has boosted police presence, the role of media in sending a clear message that the police force is doing its job, the serious internal cleansing instituted in the NCRPO, new communications technology and the advent of social media, the increase in the salaries of the police, the president’s order to implement local ordinances against certain night-time activities, and the NCRPO’s Intensified Cleanliness Policy or ICP.
Gen. Eleazar concluded his speech by emphasizing that the NCRPO cannot sit on their laurels. “The quest for the ideal peace and order situation is a never-ending grind for any nation, especially in a developing country like ours,” he stressed.
The upcoming “Investour Forum on TIEZA’s Flagship Tourism Enterprise Zones” will be held at the Centennial Ballroom of the Manila Hotel, Manila on October 15, 2019.
The Investour Forum will focus on the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the fiscal and non-fiscal incentives as approved by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and clarify the difference between the 12 Tourism Enterprise Zones (TEZs), five Flagship Tourism Enterprise Zones (FTEZs), and thousands of Registered Tourism Enterprises (RTEs).
