Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s recommendation to reduce the number of Police Generals from 133 to 25 is a vital step in addressing the inefficiencies within the Philippine National Police (PNP). Currently, the PNP suffers from a top-heavy structure, where a significant number of generals occupy floating positions, disconnected from meaningful fieldwork. Despite holding high salary grades, their output does not match their compensation, creating an imbalance between resources and performance.
This imbalance extends beyond the top ranks. Many police officers are concentrated in national, regional, and provincial offices, performing clerical and administrative duties instead of engaging in frontline policing. The consequence of this misallocation is a shortage of officers in police precincts—the very spaces where citizens expect to interact with law enforcement. The result is a visible absence of officers handling essential tasks such as investigating crimes, preventing delinquency, and educating the public about safety and victimization.
DILG Secretary Remulla's proposal to reduce the number of police generals should be complemented by reassigning officers from administrative roles in the national, regional and provincial offices to field offices (police stations and police precincts). This could enhance police visibility and foster stronger community engagement. One potential model for this reform is Japan's Koban System, a community policing model that emphasizes close police-citizen interaction through small, local police stations. This approach aligns with the Filipino values of damayan (mutual support) and bayanihan (community cooperation), fostering trust and cooperation between the police and the public.
Research on police structuring reforms shows that decentralizing police forces and strengthening their presence in communities can significantly reduce crime and improve public perceptions of safety. Studies highlight that countries with community-based policing models, such as Japan, report higher levels of public trust in law enforcement and lower crime rates. Furthermore, moving officers from bureaucratic positions into fieldwork is essential to ensuring that law enforcement agencies fulfill their core functions—crime prevention, investigation, and community protection.
In addition to restructuring the PNP’s hierarchy, it is crucial to address the training and professionalization of police officers. Global best practices suggest that community policing works best when officers are not only present but also well-trained in conflict resolution, crime prevention strategies, and community relations. A retraining program focused on these areas would complement the reassignment of officers, ensuring that the police can effectively engage with communities while maintaining a high level of professionalism.
DILG Secretary Remulla’s push to streamline the PNP’s leadership, complemented by redeploying officers to frontline duties, is a step toward making the PNP more efficient and responsive to the needs of Filipino citizens. By adopting the Koban Model and prioritizing community-oriented policing, the PNP can build stronger relationships with the public, improve service delivery, and address the root causes of crime through proactive engagement.
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