Officials of the Republic of Korea officially turned over today, September 26, 142 brand-new patrol bikes to the Philippine National Police (PNP) to enhance the police force’s mobility, particularly in the traffic-prone cities.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Eduardo Año and PNP chief Police General Oscar Albayalde received the ceremonial key from the Korean officials during the turnover of the units at Camp Crame this morning. Korean ambassador Han Dong-man and Korea National Police Agency Commissioner General Min Gab-ryong attended the event.
“The Philippines fought together with us to protect the freedom of my country,” says Min, referring to the Korean War in the ’50s. “Hence, it is now our duty to support the Philippine National Police, which has been a friend for a long time.”
The 142 units of the 125cc Aquila Grand Voyage were manufactured by Hyosung Corporation, a Seoul-based company that produces cars, motorcycles, and vehicle parts.
The patrol bikes were part of the last trench of donations from the South Korean government to the PNP under the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) project agreement amounting to $6.6 million. The agreement, which was the first cooperative project between South Korea and the Philippines, was signed by the PNP and the Korean Embassy on July 12, 2017, with the purpose of enhancing the PNP’s crime-investigation capabilities and anti-criminality campaign.
Min emphasized that the motorbikes are not only brand-new but also of good quality, with a dependable after-sales service program. They’re neither handovers nor leftovers. “These bikes are currently being used in Korea,” the Korean official added.
Albayalde said that these latest additions to the PNP’s fleet will be distributed in Metro Manila, Angeles City, Baguio City, Cebu City, and Davao City to bolster police visibility and anti-criminality efforts. Take note that these places all have traffic-congestion issues.
“This is a noble move of our Korean counterparts as the PNP is stern to provide an immediate response to incidents and crime in cities,” Albayalde said.
