DAVAO City closed 2025 with a significant drop in major crimes, underscoring steady gains in public safety and law enforcement, according to police data covering the period from January 1 to December 15.
Index crimes fell to 518 cases from 674 in 2024, a 23.15 percent decline that authorities credit to intensified patrols, community partnerships, and targeted crime-prevention programs.
Theft drives biggest decline
Theft, historically the city’s most common offense, posted the sharpest reduction among the “8 Focus Crimes.” The number of cases dropped from 293 in 2024 to 211 in 2025, representing an 82% decrease in incidents.
While theft remains the highest by volume, police said the downturn reflects sustained visibility operations and neighborhood-level prevention campaigns aligned with the safety drive, “Sa Bagong Pilipinas, Ang Gusto ng Pulis, Ligtas Ka” (In the New Philippines, What the Police Want is for You to be Safe).
Rape and robbery cases also fall
Significant declines also appeared in rape and robbery cases.
Rape incidents fell from 184 to 121, the second-largest decrease, while robbery cases dropped from 67 to 40. Police cited strengthened coordination with barangays, advocacy groups, and crisis-response networks.
Motor vehicle carnapping remained rare, with just one reported case in both years.
Violence-related incidents edge up
Despite the overall slide in crime, several violent incidents ticked upward.
The number of physical injury cases increased from 72 to 84. Murder increased slightly from 31 to 32 cases, homicide from 8 to 9, and motorcycle theft cases, categorized by police as ‘motorcycle carnapping’, from 18 to 20.
Police officials said the data show lingering challenges tied to interpersonal disputes and localized tensions, even as property-related offenses continue to decline.
Mixed performance
Crime reductions varied widely across stations.
Police Station 2 nearly halved its caseload, from 99 to 46 cases, while Police Station 18 reported a similar improvement, dropping from 72 to 46. PS3 (68 to 43) and PS9 (42 to 21) also registered strong gains.
Other areas moved in the opposite direction. PS15 more than doubled its incidents, from 23 to 50, while PS6 rose from 30 to 37.
City strengthens safety reputation
Officials said the trend reinforces Davao City’s standing as one of the country’s safest urban centers, echoing international surveys that consistently cite its high Safety Index and low Crime Index ratings.
The 23.15 percent decline in index crimes, they added, highlights the impact of coordinated policing, community engagement, and local governance under the “Ligtas Ka” initiative, even as increases in physical injuries and select violent offenses signal the need for continued vigilance.
Major gaps in theft and rape have been fortified, but emerging pockets of violence remind us that public safety is a shared and ongoing responsibility.” DEF