GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 16 Jan) – In a bid to promote healthy lifestyles among local policemen, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 has enhanced its physical fitness program for local police units.
Supt. Romulo Estocapio, PRO-12 public information officer, said Thursday they launched anew their “Hataw Na” program to help keep their personnel physically fit and in proper health condition.
He said the initiative is mainly aimed at ensuring that police officers are “physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally fit to do their sworn duties to serve and protect the public.”
“We’re all under strict orders to keep healthy lifestyles,” the official said in a statement.
Estocapio said the PRO-12 leadership mainly decided to reactivate the program following observations that many policemen in the region were not physically fit.
He noted that while they have intensified their campaigns against criminal activities, they have been remiss with their physical fitness activities.
“Law enforces need to be physically fit to effectively carry out their work,” Estocapio stressed.
“The public will have more confidence with us in terms of keeping their lives, homes, workplaces and businesses safe and secure if they see that we are strong and competitive,” he added.
The “Hataw Na” program will be implemented by various police units on a regular basis and will be monitored properly by the regional police office, he said.
Estocapio said PRO-12 started implementing the initiative earlier this month at the regional police headquarters in Barangay Tambler here.
The activity comprised stretching and warm-up exercises, Latin-inspired “Zumba” aerobics exercises and jogging.
The participants include police commissioned and non-commissioned officers assigned at the regional headquarters and with the Regional Public Safety Battalion-12.