Fewer Filipinos have reported being victims of common crimes in the last six months, according to a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations.
The survey found that crime victimization dropped to 5.6 percent from the previous 7 percent last June, the lowest figure recorded since June 2018.
Malacañang on Friday welcomed the results of the third quarter poll, saying it showed that the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs and criminality is working “effectively” and “efficiently.”
However, the SWS noted that despite the decline of victims of pickpocketing, robbery, break-ins, carnapping, physical violence, among other common crimes, the public’s fear of burglars and unsafe streets remains high.
Common crimes were most likely to happen in the National Capital Region than in other areas, the poll showed.
By area, the proportion of those fearing burglaries remained highest in Metro Manila at 65 percent, followed by Balance Luzon at 63 percent, Mindanao at 54 percent, and the Visayas at 52 percent.
Compared to June 2019, fear of burglaries rose by 8 points in Luzon, by 7 points in Mindanao, and by 1 point in the Visayas.
However, it fell by 4 points in Metro Manila.
Fear of unsafe streets rose in Mindanao and Luzon, while it dropped in Metro Manila and the Visayas.
Respondents from Metro Manila fear of unsafe streets the most at 49 percent, followed by the Visayas at 48 percent, Luzon at 47 percent, and Mindanao at 45 percent.
According to the September survey, 3.4 percent or around 846,000 families said they were victimized by street robbery in the past six months; 2.6 percent or around 640,000 families were victimized by break-ins, and 0.5 percent or 133,000 families had family members hurt by physical violence.
In terms of public safety, while respondents noted a decline in the presence of drug addicts in their neighborhood, 38 percent believe that there are still many drug addicts in their area.
Families fearing the presence of many drug addicts were highest in Metro Manila at 51 percent, followed by Luzon at 38 percent, Mindanao at 35 percent, and the Visayas at 31 percent.
Compared to June 2019 data, fear of many drug addicts in the area fell by 10 points from 41 percent in the Visayas, and by 1 point from 52 percent in Metro Manila.
Fear of drug addicts remained at 38 percent in Luzon, while it rose by 8 points from 27 percent in Mindanao.
“The September crime victimization survey validates government data that the campaign against illegal drugs and criminality, a centerpiece program of the administration, is working effectively and efficiently with the results being significant, palpable, and meaningful,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.
“It does not, therefore, take a rocket scientist to understand that the Chief Executive's performance, satisfaction, approval, and trust ratings remain at the stratospheric level at the midpoint of his presidency,” Panelo added.
The survey was conducted from Sept. 27 to 30 through face-to-face interviews of 1,800 adults nationwide with sampling error margins of ±2.3 percent.
