FEAR REMAINS

The survey found 55% of Filipino adults agreeing with the statement, “In this neighborhood, people are usually afraid that robbers might break into their houses.” This is similar to 54% in March 2018, and lower than 59% in December 2017, the poll said.

The survey found 46% agreeing with the statement, “In this neighborhood, people are usually afraid to walk in the street at night because it is not safe.” The earlier March poll also led to 46%, but this was slightly lower than the 48% in December last year, SWS said.

The survey also found street robberies falling in all areas — notably 2.7 points in Metro Manila and the Visayas — but rising 2 points in Mindanao, the one region under martial law since May 2017. On the other hand, families fearing unsafe streets fell by 12 points in Mindanao, from 48% in March to 36% in June.

Among other crimes monitored by the survey, carjacking yielded 0.0 in Metro Manila and the Visayas, but rose to 0.7% in Balance Luzon and 0.8% in Mindanao.

The survey also found that among the 4.0% who have been victims of street robbery, 61% were women and 34% were men. Victimization by street robbery rose by 2 points among women, from 59% in March, but fell by points among men, from 38% also in March.

The survey was conducted June 27-30, using faceto-face interviews of 1,200 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide: 300 each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, with sampling error margins of ±2.5% for national percentages and ±6% each for the said areas.

In response to the survey, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said: “Bumaba pa po ang numero ng krimen at ang taumbayan na mismo ang nagsasabi nito (The crime rate has dropped and our countrymen themselves are saying this).”