MANILA, Philippines — The Taguig City government plans to install more closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras around the city to help in the fight against crime.

Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano made the commitment to install the CCTV cameras during the inter-agency security meeting held at the Session Hall of the Sangguniang Panglungsod Thursday.

Cayetano explained that adding more CCTV cameras also forms part of the city government's commitment to improve the city's Information Technology (IT) infrastructure.

Jose Luis Montales, city administrator, said the local city government plans to acquire the cameras during the first quarter of this year.

The city government is also committed to provide the Taguig police with more patrol cars, ammunition and two-way radios.

Cayetano said that since becoming mayor in July 2010, the local government has donated 13 patrol cars to the Taguig police. She promised 12 more patrol cars before her term ends in 2013.

Montales said the Taguig government will also help the police force improve its anti crime capabilities with seminars on firing sessions or firearm familiarization to better protect and serve the city's more than 700,000 residents.

The city government has asked the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the Southern Police District (SPD) to provide the Taguig police with more officers.

Cayetano called the Peace and Order Security Council (POSC) meeting following the recent incidents in the city last week, particularly the death of four people – including two members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) — when a vintage bomb they were trying to defuse at a welding shop in Lower Bicutan exploded.

The blast also injured 10 others.

Aside from Cayetano and Montales, others who attended the security meeting include Senior Supt. Tomas Apolinario Jr., the Taguig City Police Office chief, representatives from the Sangguniang Panglungsod, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), City Prosecutor’s Office, the head of the local Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and representatives from the Public Order and Safety Battalion (POSB), Health Office, Veterans Group, PIO and representatives from the private sector.

Apolinario assured the local government that the police will adopt a number of measures to further improve its service to the people.

Apolinario said one of the programs, "Agarang Police sa Lansangan," involves deploying more police officers to the city's 28 barangays to maximize police visibility and have faster response times to emergencies.

"With this, we hope to increase arrests of suspects and improve the conduct of monitoring in individual communities," Apolinario said.

Apolinario is also eyeing the reactivation of the Taguig Mobile Patrol Group, which will entail the help of community volunteers in patrolling their areas.