INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure that crime clearance and solution efficiency rates are aligned with the safety and security perception of the public.
In a press conference, Remulla said higher crime clearance and solution efficiency rates as reported by the police hold little weight if ordinary citizens do not feel secure.
“Hindi ba sinabi ko kanina may disconnect. Ang pulis lagi nagre-report crime solution efficiency, index crimes. Ang dami nilang nire-report na crimes, e, at laging good-looking ang report. But what is the only metric that matters? Isa lang naman ang metric na importante ,e, do the people feel safe? Yan lang yun,” Remulla said.
(Didn't I say earlier that there's a disconnect? The police always report crime solution efficiency, index crimes. They report so many crimes, and the reports always look good. But what is the only metric that matters? There's really only one important metric — do the people feel safe? That's all there is to it.)
“Lahat ng statistics puwede mo ibato, pero isa lang, do the people feel safe, yun ang aim natin. It’s not just about presenting statistics. Hindi puwede ‘yung numero mo ang galing ko, hindi puwede yan. Dapat ang tao nagsasabi ang galing niyo. Hindi puwedeng kami lang, dapat pati sila. People must feel safe. People must feel that the police are protecting them. People must feel that their communities are safer than before,” he added.
(You can throw out all the statistics you want, but there's only one thing that matters—do the people feel safe? That’s our goal. It’s not just about presenting statistics. You can’t just say, 'Look at my numbers, I’m doing great'—that’s not enough. It should be the people saying, 'You’re doing great.' It can’t just be us; it has to include them. People must feel safe. People must feel that the police are protecting them. People must feel that their communities are safer than before.)
In February, Marbil reported that the country’s overall crime rate declined by 26.76 percent in the first six weeks of 2025.
Among the focus crimes, rape recorded the most significant decline, plummeting by 50.6 percent from 1,261 cases in early 2024 to 623 cases this year.
The other focus crimes are theft, robbery, murder, homicide, physical injury, and car and motorcycle theft.
He said year-on-year data also reflect a 7.31 percent decrease in focus crimes, with 41,717 incidents recorded in 2023 compared to 38,667 in 2024.
In Metro Manila, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) recorded a 37 percent crime rate drop in February.
In the same press conference, NCRPO director Major General Anthony Aberin presented to Remulla its Intensified and Recalibrated Police Visibility Program.
Under the program, 21,532 police personnel will be deployed across Metro Manila to intensify street-level visibility and boost public confidence in the police force. Some 240 community volunteers will also be mobilized to serve as force multipliers and aid in law enforcement.
Aberin said the recalibrated visibility program is expected to show tangible results within three months.
Remulla also announced that the unified 911 emergency response system is expected to partially start in July, with initial roll outs in Ilocos Region, Metro Manila, Central Visayas, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm).
“In less than one month, i-bid out natin ang unified 911 system para sa buong Pilipinas. Unified na. Ngayon kasi 35 ang emergency call numbers. Gagawin nating centralized na siya,” Remulla said.
(In less than one month, we will bid out the unified 911 system for the entire Philippines. It will be unified. Right now, there are 35 different emergency call numbers. We will make it centralized.)
“Kung nakikita niya sa dito, police lang ang nag-respond, pero wala ang fire, wala ang paramedics. Ito integrated na ang public safety system ng buong Pilipinas, ang response system,” he added.
(If someone sees that only the police are responding, but the fire department and paramedics are not there, that’s the problem. Now, the public safety response system of the entire Philippines will be integrated.)
In his first podcast aired on May 19, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. underscored the need for police visibility, saying that cops should regularly patrol the streets to ensure faster crime resolution and make Filipinos feel that law enforcers are in the vicinity to protect them. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)