​THE Department of the Interior and Local Government said it will deploy 800 tourist police officers beginning in April to strengthen safety in key destinations. ​Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the initiative received approval from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and will be carried out in coordination with the Department of Tourism. ​”The president (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) has approved my plan that beginning April, we will launch together with the Department of Tourism the tourist police,” Remulla said. ​The deployment aims to increase police visibility in high-traffic tourist areas, deter criminal activity, and ensure faster emergency response while promoting a safe environment for visitors and local businesses. ​Remulla said the tourist police will be equipped with motorcycles to improve mobility in crowded tourist sites and remote scenic areas. The Philippine National Police will distribute new motorcycle units dedicated to the deployment. ​Initial rollout sites include Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Poblacion in Makati, as well as major tourist destinations such as Boracay, Siargao, Cebu, Bohol and Puerto Princesa. ​Apart from security duties, the tourist police will also help promote the country’s central emergency hotline so visitors can quickly contact authorities during emergencies. ​”Every tourist that arrives in the Philippines will be given the calling card of 911 so they know we have a three-minute response time wherever they are in the Philippines,” Remulla said. ​In 2025, the government’s Unified 911 system recorded a 97-percent response efficiency rate for nearly 4 million calls received nationwide. The emergency hotline has also handled incidents in several tourist destinations, in line with the directive of the president to prioritize tourism safety. ​Remulla said strengthening security in tourism areas could also generate economic benefits, particularly for the country’s middle class. ​”When you improve tourism, it’s the middle class that benefits. They contribute the most and they get the very least benefit. We have to strengthen the middle class and make the country better,” he said.