ENHANCED police visibility in Metro Manila has already produced “tangible results” in the past several days of its implementation, an Interior and Local Government official said.
In a statement last Saturday night, DILG Assistant Secretary for Communications and External Affairs Maria Liavel Badillo-Crisostomo noted the arrests made by authorities after the implementation of the measure last Monday. But she did not give more details.
Some 500 policemen were deployed to the streets last Monday, bringing to some 21,000 the number of PNP personnel currently deployed throughout Metro Manila.
Officials have earlier said the deployment was part of the government’s intensified anti-crime drive. Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla has said they want the public to feel safer.
Remulla earlier said Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are the next areas where police visibility will be enhanced due to population density and the occurrence of crimes.
“Police visibility has been intensified not for optics but to deter crime and rebuild public trust. Officers are expected to engage with communities, respond decisively, and uphold integrity,” said Badillo-Crisostomo.
“Since its launch last Monday, this approach has produced tangible results in terms of street arrests and, more importantly, is restoring the public’s sense of safety, confidence, and control over their communities,” added Badillo-Crisostomo.
Badillo-Crisostomo said the DILG will be rolling out this December the Unified 911 Emergency Response Program, which, she also said, will “enable faster, more precise responses to crimes like kidnappings and strengthen public access to emergency services.”
Responding to a newspaper editorial about the supposed deteriorating crime situation in the country, Badillo-Crisostomo said: “Real change is happening. The DILG firmly rejects the shortcut, fear-driven approaches of the past, including extrajudicial killings. We are building a police force that is professional, accountable, and respectful of human rights and the rule of law.”
She said recent incidents of kidnapping were associated with the operation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, which President Marcos Jr. ordered banned as early as last year.
“The DILG does not operate on noise or fear. We operate on facts, reforms, and sustained public service. The transformation we are leading is not performative—it is deliberate, it is working, and it is built to endure. Our goal is clear: to deliver a justice and law enforcement system the Filipino people can trust, not fear. We are not going back. We are moving forward – stronger, smarter, and more accountable than ever,” said Badillo-Crisostomo.
In a separate statement also last Saturday night, the PNP said enhanced police visibility is “not as a mere show of force, but as a deliberate and preventive strategy to deter criminal activity and strengthen public confidence in law enforcement.
“The PNP remains focused on operational accomplishments in line with our mandate. We continue to implement law enforcement operations against criminality, illegal drugs, and other threats to public safety, all while upholding the rule of law and the rights of every citizen,” the PNP said.
The PNP assured the public that it is committed to a “safer and more secure Philippines—grounded on professionalism, accountability, and respect for human dignity.”
