Arya News - Although the Philippines scored higher on the index than several of its Southeast Asian neighbors, including Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, “its nighttime safety figure trails behind many in the region.”
MANILA – Despite a high law and order score in the latest Global Safety Report published by analytics company Gallup, fewer Filipinos feel safe walking alone at night in their communities.
Citing data from the report, Dr. Alicor Panao, an associate professor at the University of the Philippines, said 64%, or more than six in 10 people, believe they are safe after dark, a figure that may seem “less alarming … at first glance.”
However, Panao, a data scientist for the Inquirer, stressed that compared with the global average of 73% and the Asia-Pacific average of 79%, the Philippines “fares considerably worse.”
“Interestingly, despite such a mood, the Philippines scored 84 out of 100 on Gallup’s Law and Order Index,” he said, explaining that the relatively high score “suggests a more positive picture of public security.”
The index considers whether people feel safe walking alone at night, have confidence in their local police and report experiences of theft, assault or mugging involving themselves or household members in the past year.
The Philippines’ law and order situation matches that of the United Kingdom and the United States, both of which have an index score of 84. However, Panao pointed out that nighttime safety is still higher in both countries, at 76% and 71%, respectively.
Across Southeast Asia, Vietnam scored 93 on the index, with 88% feeling safe at night. Indonesia scored 89, with 83% feeling safe, while Singapore scored 95, with 98% feeling safe after dark.
Although the Philippines scored higher on the index than several of its Southeast Asian neighbors, including Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, “its nighttime safety figure trails behind many in the region.”
For Panao, “this gap highlights a key distinction between institutional confidence and personal security, suggesting that perceptions of law and order and feelings of personal safety do not move in lockstep.”
He said the country’s relatively high index score may reflect favorable responses on confidence in the police and reported crime experiences, while the lower confidence in nighttime safety may point to a persistent sense of vulnerability in everyday life.
“These perceptions can coexist because confidence in the authorities is not the same as confidence that one can avoid victimization,” he said.
“People may believe the police are generally competent or legitimate without being convinced that public spaces are safe. Now, if only that trust in law enforcement could translate into a genuine sense of safety on the streets,” Panao added.