The ASEANAPOL Secretariat Executive Director, Police Colonel Kenechanh Phommachack, together with Director for Police Services Supt. Jim Wee, attended a two days conference titled “Peace and Order International Summit 2018” organised by the Regional Peace and Order Council – National Capital Region (RPOC-NCR), Philippines. Both Executive Director and Director for Police Services were invited as guest speakers to share on “Crime Trends in the Southeast Asian Region”.
2. The two days event was attended by the various staffs from respective departments and agencies under RPOC-NCR and other non-government actors. The topics of discussion covers:
a. Crime and Disorder;
b. Anti-illegal drugs;
c. Internal Security and Terrorism;
d. Securing Justice and Public Safety; and
e. Engaging with the media.
3. The event was graced by Hon. Herbert M Bautista, RPOC-NCR Chairman and City Mayor, Quezon city and Hon. Maria Laarni L. Cayetano. During the plenary sessions, Ambassador Bruce S Concepcion from office of the Special Envoy on Transnational Crime and Hon. Antonio T Carpio the Acting Chief of Justice Supreme Court of the Philippines shared on their expertise to the participants.
4. The Summit served to provide an academic platform for government officials and peace and order advocates to align and consolidate their efforts in building a peaceful and safe place to live in by identifying barriers to progress and challenges in achieving peace and order objectives. It is also to serve as a venue for inter-disciplinary dialogue and forging partnerships among different stakeholders in formulating plausible, comprehensive and sustainable programs that will address issues affecting peace, order and security.
5. Metropolitan Manila, officially known as the NCR is the seat of government and one of the three defined metropolitan areas of the Philippines. NCR is the most densely populated region of the country and is the second most poulous. It is the country’s cultural, economic and educational center. Its economic engine, producing over 36% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, makes the region the country’s premier center for finance and commerce. Given the immense gravity of NCR in national development and international relations, there is a need for various government and non-government actors to coordinate and cooperate with each other to ensure that NCR is a peaceful, orderly and safe megacity. RPOC-NCR was created by virtue of the local Government Code and Executive Order primarily to act as a regional mechanism to ensure peace and order and public safety within its jurisdiction. It is responsible for initiating measures to converge and orchestrate internal security operations as well as address issues and concerns in maintaining peace and order and public safety in NCR.
6. RPOC-NCR is a recommendatory body to the National Peace and Order Council and is mandated to :
a. Formulate plans and recommend measures to improve or enhance peace and order and public safety in respective areas of responsibility;
b. To monitor the implementation of peace and order programs and projects at the provincial, city or municipal levels and the operation of Civilian Volunteer Self-Defence Organisations and other counter-insurgency programs and activities;
c. Make periodic assessments of the prevailing peace and order situation in their respective areas of responsibility and submit a report thereon with recommendations to the chairman of the National Peace and Order Council; and
d. Perform all other functions assigned by law, the President or the National Peace and Order Council.