Manila: Nearly 55,000 police officers and force multipliers will be deployed nationwide starting March 29 to secure Holy Week and summer travelers, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the deployment, under the PNP's Oplan Ligtas Sumvac 2026, will run until May 31. At a press briefing in Camp Crame, Col. Anna Liza Macapinlac, chief of the PNP-Public Safety Division of the Directorate for Operations, detailed that 54,989 personnel will be deployed. This includes 36,163 PNP personnel, 4,738 from augmented units, and 14,088 from auxiliary groups and force multipliers.

Col. Macapinlac emphasized the importance of ensuring maximum police presence in strategic locations to deter criminal activities and respond to public concerns immediately. Although the PNP has not identified specific threats, police units will be on heightened alert starting March 29.

Police Community Relations units will conduct an extensive information campaign aimed at raising public awareness and promoting safety reminders. The Anti-Cybercrime Group has been tasked to intensify cyberpatrolling and information drives against fraudulent travel offers, fake online bookings, and other online scams.

All police regional offices have been directed to conduct inspections and mobile patrols to ensure police presence in crowded areas such as bus terminals, seaports, airports, and other transport hubs. This deployment comes as travel typically surges during summer, with families taking advantage of the long holidays and school break to visit provinces, attend reunions, and vacation in resorts, beaches, and other tourist spots.

The period also coincides with several national events, including Philippine Veterans Week, Araw ng Kagitingan, Labor Day, Flores de Mayo, and the observance of Holy Week from March 30 to April 3.