President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has declared November 3 to 9 of every calendar year as the “Philippine Criminology Week,” as part of the administration’s effort to recognize the importance of criminology profession in the Philippines.
A two-page Proclamation No. 397 dated November 7 and signed by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin highlighted the need to recognize the contribution of the criminology profession in maintaining peace and order, and national security.
“It is imperative to recognize the role of the criminology profession in the maintenance of national security, and to honor Filipino Criminologists who have remained committed to the exercise of their profession while contributing immensely to the development of our nation, especially in the sectors of public safety and peace and order,” the proclamation stated.
Under the proclamation, the Professional Regulatory Board of Criminology, under the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC), is designated to lead the observance of the Philippine Criminology Profession Week.
It is also tasked to identify the programs, project and activities for the yearly celebration while all national government agencies and instrumentalities and the like are encouraged to actively participate and support the effective implementation of Proclamation No. 397.
The criminology education in the Philippines began in 1954 when the first criminology or educational institution for scientific crime was founded while the practice was professionalized in 1972 with the creation of the Board of Examiners for Criminologists (BEC) under Republic Act No. 6506. | PND
Photo Courtesy of PCO