PNP to boost vaccination drive using community patrols

The Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, has ordered all police commanders to utilize community patrols and official social media accounts to boost the COVID-19 vaccination information campaign.

This initiative is based on Eleazar's successful experience with the PNP's COVID-19 Task Force, where an aggressive information drive led to a significant increase in personnel willing to be vaccinated, from 51 percent to 84 percent.

The PNP plans to replicate this strategy in communities, using fact sheets and videos from the Department of Health, to convince more Filipinos to get vaccinated.

Police forces will leverage OPLAN Bandillo, a program originally against criminal elements, adapting it to promote vaccination and other health protocols.

As part of OPLAN Bandillo, local police will use megaphones and speaker systems during patrols to inform residents about the benefits of vaccination and encourage them to get vaccinated, aiming for a return to normalcy.