Being at the Metropolis, the National Capital Regional Police Office has been facing a lot of complicated challenges may it be in Anti-criminality Operations, Illegal Drugs, Terrorism, or other Law Enforcement related operations. But as time passed by, those challenges became the very basis of NCRPO in finding alternatives to strengthen its pillars by equipping its personnel and generating programs that will win the hearts and supports of the community.
With the commitment of NCRPO leaders and its personnel in bringing sustainable change and lasting peace across the region, several programs and projects were implemented. This gave birth to the creation of Project S.I.B.O.L. which stands for Simula ng Isang Bagong Oportunidad sa Lipunan.
Project SIBOL aims to effectively communicate the PNP’s campaign against Poverty, being the major cause of almost all social problems including crimes and illegal drugs in the metropolis through community alleviation programs in the region in support of the Retooled Community Support Program.
With this program, the NCRPO and the Joint Task Force-NCR serve as bridges to connect the barangay to their City/Municipal LGUs, other agencies, and companies to avail of education, skills training, livelihood, and development packages that best address the root causes of AOM (Arouse, Organize and Mobilize) strategy of the Communists Terrorist Groups-Front Organizations, particularly in the urban poor, labor and student sectors which are their most targeted sectors.
Police Lieutenant General Vicente D Danao Jr, who was then the Regional Director of NCRPO initiated and supervised the project which started last year. It is congruent to the current thrust of the government as well as the intent of Executive Order Number 70 series of 2008 to effectively and efficiently implement the whole of nation approach with the end view of Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict towards the attainment of sustainable peace and development in the National Capital Region. With the barangay as focus areas being the cutting edge of government services through strengthened community engagements using the Community Service-Oriented Policing (CSOP) as a template which is further communicated in the barangays using the theme: “Engaging, Nurturing, Transforming, Empowering and Sustaining barangays in NCR through Good governance, stable security and sustainable development.”
The term S.I.B.O.L. was intentionally chosen to suggest a clear and vivid meaning of the sole purpose of the project. It suggests a new beginning and a new hope that sprouts, growing and expanding in the National Capital Region with the PNP particularly the NCRPO as the lead implementer being the most visible representation of the government down to the purok and every neighborhood.
It envisions a better community condition that enhances police service and strengthens neighborhood participation in advancing the cause of policing system in the country — one that is motivated by good governance, community peacekeeping, and a stronger barangay defense system through community mobilization, poverty alleviation, and crime reduction and eradication.
Currently, the project has helped at least 1, 158 Communist Terrorist Group Front Organization leaders and members who surrendered and returned their loyalty to the Philippine government. It also provided basic services to thousands of families across the region, especially during the onset of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project also helped hundreds of families through cash assistance and other relief goods. And it is bound for more in the future.
The NCRPO through Project SIBOL will continue to help the community at the same time create a strong foundation of bond and trust between the PNP and of the public which cannot be destroyed by any kind of adversaries.
