The UPAC Primer

United People Against Crime

las piñas chapter

Visions and Goals

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last updated 11/19/02 04:22:23 PM

What kind of work does UPAC do?

• Building Partnerships – Crime is best countered through a united front consisting of the community, government and law enforcement, and give them our full cooperation. However, we maintain our independence from government performance. While we encourage the community to cooperate with government, we also serve as a counterweight to prevent abuse of power and to preserve civil liberties.

-         Presently, UPAC made a tie-up with CARITAS MANILA in its drive to tap in the Church Organization. And Las Piñas was made as a Pilot project for their crime prevention program, to be spread  throughout the metropolis soon.

• Problem Analysis and Problem-solving – UPAC aims to be a catalyst for holistic solutions to serious problems of criminality. Correct solutions hinge on a deep understanding of the problem. We published multi-part studies on How the Kidnapping Syndicates Operate, the Menace of the Drug Syndicates and the rape problem, as of Sept. 2000, our current multi-part study is the Threat of Transitional Organized Crime.

-         Citing an example, UPAC studied Mr. Stanley Ho’s investments in the Philippines during his controversial visit in the country - which later led to Senate Inquiry regarding the so-called seedy background of Mr Ho and his connections with Big Gambling Networks, Triads and other big-time international crime syndicates. 

• Information Networking – Information is the key to crime fighting and crime prevention. UPAC has a wide information networking effort through its members and network allies.

-         Tied-up with some ABS-CBN programs as well as Patrol 117 of NBN, as well as some radio slots at Radio Veritas and RMN/DZRB radios.

• Training – We emphasize training of our members in order that they can keep their families and communities safe.

-         ie: news briefing through publication in some media news prints regarding trainings, alert or preparedness for incoming danger as well as the actual conduction of crime-prevention seminars/training.

• Public Information and Education – Our  information and education program attempts to educate the citizenry for public safety, to alert the public to the modus operandi of the criminals and the latest trends in criminality, to shape public attitudes, and to mobilize the community for crime prevention.

• Community Organizing – Theorists say that the Community Pillar is the most important of the 5 pillars of the criminal justice system. The community  is   the “X-factor” in the peace and order equation. In order to tap the potential of the community, it must be organized and given training and intelligent direction. Our current thrust is organizing the community for Crime Prevention.

-         already started the training of All Parish Organization members in all Homeowners’ Associations as liaison officers, and have  a Crime Report Table located at all churches so that the public can report crimes being committed or about to be committed – aside from that of the liaison desks located at the PCPs and UPAC liaison offices.

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