More police visibility in Metro Manila to improve safety perception —NCRPO

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Monday intensified police visibility to improve the public perception of safety in Metro Manila.

In a press briefing, NCRPO chief Police Major General Anthony Aberin said that more cops will be deployed and their presence on the ground will start as early as 4 a.m. instead of 7 a.m.

“Nagdagdag tayo ng mga ide-deploy sa kalsada and we adjusted the time. Kung dati alas siete or alas otso 'yung relieving time natin, ngayon magde-deploy tayo as early as 4:00 to 4:30 a.m.,” Aberin said.

(We have added the deployment on the road and we adjusted the time. If before our relieving time was seven or eight o’clock, now we will deploy them as early as 4:00 to 4:30 a.m.)

“In time na 'yung mga kababayan natin papasok doon sa pinapasukan nilang trabaho. Paglabas nila makikita na nila 'yung police natin. Then kapag nakita nila 'yun, eventually maa-appreciate nila 'yung presence ng kapulisan sa kalsada,” he added.

(This is the time when our countrymen go to work. When they go out, they will see our police. Then when they see that, they will eventually appreciate the presence of the police on the road.)

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordered the intensified police visibility due to the disconnect between the decline in crime rate and the people’s negative perception of safety.

“Ang gusto ng ating Pangulo ay may koneksyon ng trabaho at statistics sa police sa pakiramdam ng tao. Magkaiba ang mundo na pinapakita ng PNP at magkaiba ang pakiramdam ng tao,” Remulla said.

(What our President wants is a connection between police work and statistics, and people’s perception. The world that the PNP shows is different from people’s perception.)

“Dapat magkaisa 'yan, dapat magkatugma. Hindi na puwedeng statistics lang. Kailangan paggising at pagtulog ng ating mga tao dito sa Pilipinas ay nararamdaman nila na ang public safety is number one,” he added.

(It should be aligned, it should be consistent. It can’t just be statistics. When they wake up and when they sleep, our people here in the Philippines should feel that public safety is number one.)

Aberin attributed the gap between the crime rate and public perception of safety to the lack of dissemination of information on what is happening on the ground as well as to “fake news.”

The NCRPO reported that the index crime went down by 23.13% in Metro Manila in the past six months compared to the same period last year.

“From November 23, 2024 to May 23, 2025, the NCRPO recorded a staggering 23.13% drop in the total number of Focus Crimes compared to the same period the previous year,” the NCRPO said.

“This translates to 779 fewer incidents of murder, homicide, physical injuries, rape, robbery, theft, and carnapping,” it added.

Index crimes are offenses that are serious in nature and occur with sufficient frequency and regularity such that they can serve as an index to the crime situation.

The intensified police visibility will also be enforced in other regions in the coming months.

Aside from boosting police visibility, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will also work on the nationwide 911 emergency response system, integrated criminal information system, stronger LGU-PNP coordination, and intensified anti-illegal drugs campaign focused on street-level operations.

More than 1,000 police, force multipliers

According to a report by Bea Pinlac on Unang Balita on Monday, 1,680 police personnel and force multipliers have been permanently deployed in Metro Manila.

The deployment of additional personnel is part of the intensified and recalibrated police visibility plan presented by Remulla and Aberin to 1,120 police personnel and force multipliers at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City early Monday.

The move was done "to make the Filipino people feel safe again," according to Remulla.

"Crime prevention more than crime solution," he told reporters.

Remulla and Aberin also inspected some police stations such as the one in Anonas on Monday morning.

The DILG and PNP will not issue firearms to force multipliers but the government is planning to apply for insurance for them.

Remulla also said internal cleansing within the PNP is nonstop, as there is zero tolerance for corruption among police. —KG, GMA Integrated News