PNP Logo
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is the country’s main law enforcement organization. Established in 1991, the PNP is mandated to provide efficient and effective public safety services to the people of the Philippines, with its main thrusts being law enforcement, crime prevention and solution, traffic management, disaster response, and the maintenance of peace and order. Its role is critical in ensuring a safe and secure environment for the citizens of the Philippines and in promoting the welfare and well-being of the community.
Meaning and history
PNP’s genesis can be retraced to the pre-colonial era, where sundry law enforcement mechanisms thrived in diverse regions of the archipelago. The Philippines experienced manifold metamorphoses in governance and administration during the centuries of colonization, giving rise to distinct police forces under various regimes. In its present guise, the Philippine National Police was formally established in 1991, ensuing the fusion of several law enforcement entities. Presently, it serves as the foremost law enforcement agency in the Philippines, entrusted with the tasks of upholding public order, enforcing the law, and ensuring the protection of citizens.
What is PNP?
PNP is the acronym for the Philippine National Police, a major law enforcement institute controlled by the country’s government. It maintains peace and order among the citizens, battles criminality, respond to traffic and helps the citizens with some documental issues. PNP was founded in its existing form in 1991, following the merger of several major law enforcing establishemnts of the country.
1901 – 1975
The inaugural emblem was crafted for the Philippine National Police in 1901 and persisted for over seven decades. The badge was a striking and contemporary design, despite incorporating traditional and heraldic elements and a conventional color scheme. It featured a timeless coat of arms enclosed in a thick white border adorned with green laurel leaves. The center of the crest was a deep navy blue hue and highlighted a golden emblem resembling an axe. The apex of the insignia was adorned with a smaller circular component that boasted a red backdrop and a white knight in full armor.
1975 – 1991
In 1975, the Philippine National Police underwent a redesign that introduced a more elaborate and intricate badge, with a profusion of gilded details. The badge still retained the traditional crest shape, but with a darker framing adorned with lush green foliage, while the top section was now composed of three peaks, each with a radiant golden five-pointed star. The outline of the upper part was adorned in a brilliant yellow hue, and the body featured a new tricolor scheme of white, blue, and red. The center of the crest was adorned with a golden medallion that depicted an engraved knight, along with a ribbon bearing the black “INP” monogram in an unpretentious sans-serif font.
1991 – today
The year 1991 saw yet another transformation in the visual identity of the Philippine National Police, as the crest design evolved into a unique geometric shape with a pair of curved recesses on either side, and symmetrical upper and lower sections featuring smaller cavities, reminiscent of a vintage-style ticket. The badge featured a color scheme of rich red hues, with a vivid yellow circular centerpiece adorned with a dark silhouette of a knight atop a sunburst-shaped ornament. The lettering was positioned both above and below the centerpiece, with the upper inscription rendered in bold uppercase letters of a sans-serif font with white outlines, while the bottom text was displayed on a white ribbon outlined with an ornamental green foliage motif.
Font
The inscriptions present on the badge and the seal of the Philippine National Police employ a straightforward and impeccably clear sans-serif typeface. The phrase “Service Honor Justice” appears to employ the same or similar typeface, maintaining its legibility. In contrast, the term “Officer” featured on the badge adopts a distinct font. Although it also embodies classic proportions, this time, it is a serif typeface.
Color
The seal and badge of the Philippine National Police are predominantly imbued with a deep red and rich gold hue, taking cues from the country’s national flag, punctuated by subdued black tones. The gold accents on the seal bear a resemblance to a shade of yellow, while on the badge, the “gold” appears almost metallic. The seal features a pristine white, while the badge showcases a lighter metal shade that corresponds to the white on the seal. Finally, the seal incorporates an earthy green tone, evoking the natural hue of laurel leaves.
