MANILA, Philippines — The Makati City police met with representatives from the business sector to further improve coordination and update on security measures following the last week’s explosion in a vacant lot in Salcedo Village.

Superintendent Jaime Santos, Makati police officer in charge, said they are stepping up protection around the business community in the city on instructions from Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay.

Santos said part of the security measures is the deployment of additional policemen for round-the-clock foot and mobile patrols in Makati’s Central Business District.

The city’s tourist police force was also beefed up in areas known as likely destination for local and for-eign visitors.

Another deterrent measure is the “Oplan Photo Sita” in which policemen manning checkpoints stop mo-torcyclists, perform routine security checks, photograph the license plate numbers and then attach a security information sticker to the plate.

Santos said the photograph and the security sticker help them identify the registered owner of the mo-torcycle should it be used for crime or any illegal activities.

Apart from the business district, security measures are also in place in the city’s outskirts to deter would-be terrorists or criminal groups out to sow chaos in the country’s financial and business capital.

At the same time, Santos appealed to the public to cooperate by reporting suspicious-looking persons and vehicles to the nearest police stations.

“We have to help each other and be vigilant especially if we notice suspicious- looking characters or vehicles in the area,” he said.

Santos refused to comment on the result of the investigation of the blast in the lot at H.V. De La Costa and Tordesillas Streets last Monday, saying only that a task force headed by Senior Superintendent Rolando Asuncion is spearheading the investigation.