While most Filipinos still feel secure in their communities, perceptions of neighborhood safety suffered a notable decline in the second quarter of the year, according to the latest nationwide Tugon ng Masa survey released by Octa Research.
The poll, conducted from July 4 to 11 among 1,200 adult respondents with a ±3 percent margin of error, revealed that 72 percent of Filipinos feel safe in their neighborhood. While still a clear majority, the figure represents a 15-percentage-point drop from the 87 percent recorded in the first quarter. Specific personal security metrics also saw downward shifts, as 68 percent of respondents said they are not afraid to walk alone at night, down from 81 percent in March, while 54 percent stated they are not worried about home break-ins, marking a 17-percentage-point decline from 71 percent.
Octa Research noted that while general perceptions of neighborhood safety remain positive, public confidence becomes noticeably more guarded when respondents evaluate specific personal and household security risks.
Regional data highlighted sharp declines in security sentiment, particularly in the nation’s capital. The National Capital Region (NCR) registered the lowest level of neighborhood safety perception at 58 percent, a steep 33-percentage-point plunge from 91 percent in the previous survey. Perception of safety in Luzon fell to 72 percent from 91 percent, while Mindanao dropped to 71 percent from 83 percent. The Visayas stood as the sole region to record an increase, rising to 84 percent from 81 percent. Mindanao recorded the highest level of explicit disagreement regarding neighborhood safety at 20 percent, while NCR recorded the highest fear of walking alone at night, with 24 percent expressing concern.
Safety perceptions fell across all socioeconomic groups, with the sharpest decline occurring among Class ABC, where feeling safe dropped 23 percentage points to 69 percent from 92 percent. Class D saw a 17-percentage-point drop to 73 percent from 90 percent, while Class E slipped to 69 percent from 73 percent. Concern over home burglaries was most pronounced in Mindanao, NCR, and Class D, where over a quarter of respondents voiced active worry over potential break-ins.