The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday said it is ready for "any eventuality" as the country prepares against the deadly swine influenza virus.

Director General Jesus Verzosa, PNP chief, said part of the police organization's preparation against the pandemic flu virus is "force protection," which means providing policemen with protective equipment including masks, gloves and laboratory gowns.

Verzosa said the protective equipment will be used by the police in case the deadly influenza virus enters the country. He said, as member of the National Task Force on Pandemic Influenza, the PNP has been tasked for the enforcement of quarantine procedures and for rapid containment of the virus.

"It is better that we are all prepared for any eventuality,” Verzosa said.

He said the PNP is already in the final stage of creating its "Pandemic Influenza Response Plan," which will be included in the Department of Health's (DOH) Overall Action Plan against the influenza A (H1N1) virus.

Police spokesman Nicanor Bartolome, meanwhile, said that part of the PNP's plan against the influenza virus is educating policemen.

Bartolome said the PNP's Aviation Security Group, whose members are deployed in airports, will be the first to undergo briefing by police doctors. He said aviation security policemen will be tapped by the DOH to secret entry ports in the country.

President Arroyo on Thursday alerted concerned government agencies after the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the alert level on the swine flu to 5. The level was raised after more countries' aside from Mexico, Canada and United States admitted possible case of swine flu.

Mrs. Arroyo has ordered the release of P10 million for the purchase of more anti-swine flu medicines.

At an earlier press conference at the National Disaster Coordinating Council in Camp Aguinaldo, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque said the government would need P90 million to prepare the country against the swine flu.