What is "tanod"

A barangay tanod, also known as a barangay police officer -- and sometimes as BPSO (which can stand for barangay peace and security officer, barangay peacekeeping and security officer, or barangay police safety officer) -- is the lowest level of law enforcement officer in the Philippines. He is a watchman for a barangay who is supervised by the barangay captain and performs a variety of police functions. Tanods are "front liners (sic) in the preparation and response to any type of atrocities, public disorders, emergencies and even disasters or man-made calamities that threaten peace and order and public safety." They may be either unarmed or armed simply, say with a truncheon or a bolo, a type of machete.