Study: Philippines ranked among the safest countries in the world in 2019

MANILA – The Philippines is among the 50 safest countries in the world in 2019, according to a global public order index.

The country had an index of 84, just below the United States (85) in the ranking, and on the same level as Australia (84) and New Zealand (84) in terms of how effective law and order is maintained, the 2020. The Gallup Global Law and Order report was shown.

The study said that the higher a country’s score, the greater the proportion of its population that feels safe. It measured residents’ perception of safety and their personal experiences with crime and law enforcement in their respective countries.

The US-based survey firm said it conducted face-to-face interviews with 2,090 Filipinos, ages 15 and older, between October 8 and 24, 2019. The study for the country had a margin of error of 2.6.

“Some areas were excluded from the sampling frame due to security concerns, such as the barangays considered war zones in Marawi, and areas that are remote or inaccessible. The population excluded from these areas represents less than 1 percent of the population, ”Gallup said.

Among the questions asked by participants globally are:

• In the city or area where you live, do you trust the local police?
• Do you feel safe walking alone at night in the city or area where you live?
• In the past 12 months, has money or property been stolen from you or another member of your household?
• In the last 12 months, have you been mugged or assaulted?

Singapore and Turkmenistan finished with the highest public order index with 97, followed by China, which had an index of 93. Kuwait and Iceland followed with an index of 93.

Afghanistan was considered the least safe, according to the study, with an index of 43. South Africa (57), Liberia (54), Venezuela (54) and Gabon (52) were the last five countries.

DILG appreciates the results of the survey

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday praised the study, saying the report proved that “the government is winning the war on crime and drugs.”

“The government is even more committed to maintaining its current efforts against crime and drugs following the excellent position of the Philippines in a prestigious global survey of people’s views on their safety,” DILG said in a statement.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the results were “reassuring” and that Filipinos appreciated what the government has been doing to prevent crime.

In September, the DILG said that the volume of crime in the country decreased by 47 percent during the first 6 months the country was under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Year also said that thefts were down 61 percent, while vehicle and motorcycle theft was down 66 percent and 61 percent, respectively. Murder cases were also down 22 percent.