MANILA - (UPDATE) Around 1.5 million families fell victim to common crimes during the first quarter of 2018, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealed Thursday.

The survey conducted last March 23 to 27 showed that 6.6 percent of Filipino families reported victimization by crimes such as robbery, break-ins, "carnapping" or car theft, and physical violence within the past six months.

This is a point lower than the 7.6 percent or 1.7 million families reported in December 2017.

• Violence, common crimes affect 1.7-M Pinoy families: SWS

Majority of the incidents resulted in the loss of property such as street robbery, burglary or break-ins, and "carnapping."

In December 2017, around 1.1 million families or 4.6 percent were victimized by street robbery.

Around 145,000 families or less than one percent, meanwhile, had members hurt by physical violence in the past six months, lower than the 188,000 reported in December 2017.

FEWER BREAK-INS AND DECLINE IN FEAR

The latest survey also saw a decline in the number of families that reported being victimized by break-ins.

Fewer families reported becoming victims of break-ins, from 3.4 percent or 790,000 in December 2017 to 2.2 percent or 516,000.

The survey, meanwhile, found that around 51,000 families lost their vehicles to car theft in the past six months, lower than the 108,000 families who experienced the same in December 2017.

While the survey saw a decline in the number of Filipinos who fear walking the streets at night and that robbers might break into their homes, a majority still believe that such is likely to happen.

A total of 54 percent of Filipino adults agreed with the statement: "In this neighborhood, people are usually afraid that robbers might break into their houses."

This is five points lower than the 59 percent reported in December 2017.

Meanwhile, 46 percent agreed with the statement: "In this neighborhood, people are usually afraid to walk in the street at night because it is not safe," lower than the 48 percent reported in December 2017.

Fewer Filipinos (40 percent) also believe that there are many drug addicts in their neighborhood compared to the 42 percent in December 2017.

RISING PHYSICAL VIOLENCE VS. WOMEN

More women fell victim to physical violence at 50 percent, a jump from 11 percent in December 2017.

Fewer men, meanwhile, were reported to have been victims of physical violence at 43 percent from 61 percent.

The March 2018 survey also found that a majority of victims of
street robbery were women at 59 percent.

This is 19 points higher than the 40 percent reported in December 2017.

The number of men who fell victim to street robbery, meanwhile, dipped to 38 percent from 52 percent in December 2017.

The SWS noted that since March 2005, more men than women have reported falling victim to physical violence, except in June 2011, September 2016, and March 2018 when women outnumbered men.

The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults and has a sampling error margin of ±2.5 percent for national percentages, and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Malacañang welcomed the survey results as it vowed to ensure the safety of Filipinos.

"Such public sentiment is certainly a big boost to the morale of our law enforcement agencies as we vow to continue to ensure the safety of all Filipinos," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement Thursday.

Government has been pursuing a fierce anti-crime drive in pursuit of President Rodrigo Duterte's campaign promise of making the streets safe.

Police recently rounded up loiterers caught violating local ordinances. This followed Duterte's order to arrest tambays (bystanders), saying "they are potential trouble for the public."

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