Realizing the Metro Manila CCTV System Dream
About 16 years ago, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), led then by retired police general Roberto Rosales, envisioned a Metro Manila CCTV system. The goal was simple: real-time monitoring of key streets across Metro Manila to enable strategic police deployment and rapid response. This approach promised to deter crime by increasing police visibility and swift action.
Rosales even organized simulation exercises to demonstrate the project’s potential benefit for peace and order. However, the plan stalled due to lack of funding and support. Fast forward to 2025, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is finally seizing the chance to implement the Metro Manila CCTV system, leveraging the closed-circuit televisions used for monitoring traffic violations under the No-Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP).
Capitalizing on Mass Discipline and Technology
The unexpected widespread discipline among motorists after NCAP’s reimplementation has encouraged the PNP to harness this momentum. National police chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III is pushing for a five-minute police response, and the CCTV system plays a vital role in achieving this goal.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Don Artes revealed that initial talks with PNP leaders have taken place to grant police access to these cameras for peace and order purposes. “There was already a preliminary discussion on how these CCTVs could be used in the five-minute police response that PNP chief Gen. (Nicolas) Torre (III) wants to implement,” Artes noted.
Expanding the CCTV Network Across Key Areas
Currently, numerous artificial intelligence-powered CCTVs operate in strategic spots along EDSA, the country’s busiest highway. Artes also mentioned plans to install around 1,000 more AI-enabled cameras across other major Metro Manila roads. These high-resolution devices can even peer through tinted vehicle windows, enhancing monitoring capabilities.
All these cameras link to a command center at the MMDA office in Pasig City. The PNP aims to maximize this “eye on the sky” system to swiftly detect and respond to criminal activities.
Coordinated Efforts for Faster Police Action
While the public is encouraged to dial 911 for emergencies, Torre explained that police response in areas covered by the MMDA CCTV network will be different. “We will have our personnel here, equipped with a radio that is connected to the PNP Command Center so that the dispatch of our personnel on the ground is quick,” he said.
The PNP chief expressed gratitude to the MMDA for providing access to the CCTV system, calling it a crucial step toward enhancing public safety.
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