The Philippine National Police has deployed more plainclothes officers on top of the usual uniformed beat patrollers and those seen in police public assistance desks across the metro.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the deployment of undercover policemen in areas of convergence during the holiday is intended to blunt the expected heightened criminal activities in the coming weeks.

Traditionally, crimes like robbery, pickpocketing and snatching increase during the holiday season as petty criminals take advantage of shoppers and vacationers congregating.

"Aside from the uniformed police, we will also deploy secret or civilian police or intelligence police," Fajardo added. She said that aside from the police, force multipliers like village guards or tanods will help the police guard shopping malls, supermarkets and flea markets.

Fajardo pointed out that compared to last year, the number of people going out has tripled given the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.

"The more than 6,000 tourist-trained police are expected to be deployed this early so that our fellow Filipinos will feel they are safe and that they can enjoy their vacations," she said in Filipino.

Cops were not allowed to go on leave during the holidays, from 15 December to 10 January, as ordered by PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.

The PNP spokesperson also urged the public to be on guard against the use of counterfeit money and to report the same to the police.

Around 14,000 police officers had been deployed in Metro Manila, National Capital Region Police Office spokesperson Lt. Col. Dexter Versola said.

He said the additional cops would ensure Christmas-related activities like the holding of dawn and midnight masses would go on without being threatened by criminals.

The NCRPO covers five districts, namely the Manila Police District, Quezon City Police District Northern Police District, Southern Police District and Eastern Police District.

Versola said there has been a gradual decline in index crimes recorded from September to November this year in the capital region due to heightened police visibility.