THE Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO 7) has welcomed the DILG’s call to the cities and municipalities to enact ordinances requiring commercial establishments that cater to large numbers of customers and are prone to risks to install security cameras as a requirement for the issuance of business permits.PRO 7 Director Brig. Gen. Roque Eduardo Vega has said he’s supporting such a move, as security cameras could help in deterring a crime.“The criminals would think twice about committing illegal activities,” he said in Tagalog.The Department of the Interior and Local Government memorandum issued on May 23, 2022 states that among the business establishments that should have closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras are financial establishments such as banks, pawnshops, money lenders, and money remittance services and the likes; business establishments with several branches and chains; shopping malls, shopping centers, supermarkets, wet markets; and, medical facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and laboratories.DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said in a press statement that CCTV cameras should also be installed in “places of entertainment such as theaters, movie houses, perya, internet cafes, arcades and other areas that draw a considerable number of customers; airports, public transportation terminals, parking lots and other similar establishments that cater to a large number of vehicles; car dealerships, gasoline stations, vehicle maintenance/service stations; and other similar business establishments deemed necessary by the local government unit.”“Now is the right time to require business establishments to install CCTV. People are going out of their homes and in various establishments nowadays due to lower Covid-19 cases and a CCTV system is a powerful tool that can aid LGUs in ensuring public safety, deterring crimes, and identifying and apprehending culprits,” Año said.For Vega, CCTV cameras in establishments near a crime scene could help in solving the crime.“It can help the investigation and fast-track the resolution of the case,” he said.Security cameras can also help in monitoring suspicious individuals who could be members of groups involved in terrorism.The Philippine National Police has been on full alert status since the bombings in southern Mindanao last week.