Andronico Del Rosario
Surveys often depict a consensus whose results are disputed from time to time. Take what happened to Gallup’s recent Global Law and Order Index, with data taken from people surveyed in 2019.
It ranked 84 countries in the world based on the following questions:
- In the city or area you live in, do you have confidence in the police force?
- Do you feel safe walking alone at night in the city or area where you live?
- Within the last 12 months, have you had money or property stolen from you or another family member?
- Within the last 12 months, have you been assaulted or mugged?
Based on interviews with nearly 175,000 adults in 144 countries, Gallup concluded that the Philippines ranked among the 50 safest countries—out of the 84 that qualified.
It was 39th on the rankings, ahead of neighbor Malaysia. Singapore topped the list, while Indonesia and Vietnam ranked higher than the Philippines.
Our score of 84 placed us in a tie with Australia, New Zealand, Poland, and Serbia, and two points clear of the global index of 82.
Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez, Jr. was glad that the Philippines gained recognition as one of the safest countries in the world. “Thanks to our law enforcers, peace workers, and everyone who has made a commitment to peace, we are moving forward as a peaceful, progressive, and resilient nation,” he said in a statement.
Netizens, however, weren’t impressed.
Some called it an “existence in a parallel universe.”
Philippines in a parallel universe where Duterte and his fanatics don’t exist. https://t.co/xhKStVQfSN
— 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐊𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐲 (@krizzy_kalerqui) November 4, 2020
Others shared headlines about how dangerous our country is for land defenders and journalists.
https://twitter.com/maykamaykaba/status/1323844215739068421?s=21
this u? https://t.co/q7hXw25F0F pic.twitter.com/NLbpLnIsJv
— dixie normous (@ange1wingz) November 4, 2020
Some went towards the meme reaction, using a popular American cartoon to express what they felt about the survey results.
“there is no war on drugs in the philippines” https://t.co/Q6o8DrOSQz pic.twitter.com/DiElwlR2If
— ✧ K.TNA ✧ (@saintpercocet) November 4, 2020
there is no war in ba sing se! https://t.co/9mu7zGXhPj
— Asia Jackson (@aasian) November 4, 2020
These set of photos made rounds once more, showing how police violently dispersed a protest rally that took place within the term of President Rodrigo Duterte.
"citizens feel safe and have confidence with the local police"
what do u mean????? https://t.co/wzzqujWxE9 pic.twitter.com/fwSnuRBuW0
— enjeru (@aintgela_) November 4, 2020
Others still pointed out how the respondents might be privileged, which would explain positive answers to the question of being able to walk and feel safe at night.
https://twitter.com/ed_reeeal/status/1323949513682284546?s=21
I think they forgot to specify that safety is only for the privileged. https://t.co/aZKFKKyBXd
— pixie (@honnoai) November 4, 2020
Security and safety, however, is a luxury that only those better off seem to have access to—a fact pointed out by a lot of netizens.
There are certain neighborhoods that are safe. Business districts and gated communities in Metro Manila, in particular, have airtight security thanks to how many influential people live within them.
A trip to the more congested boroughs, however, reveals a different story. News reports, as previously pointed out, are never without a case of someone being mugged or killed—sometimes in broad daylight.
The pandemic has also brought out some of the worst in our local police force, with reports of officers stationed at checkpoints being a bit too cavalier with exercising the authority given to them—which includes their top brass, like NCRPO chief Debold Sinas and the case of military men killed in action in Mindanao by PNP personnel.
