THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded a significant reduction in all major crimes in the country this year amid the stepped-up crackdown on drugs and other forms of criminality in the streets which PNP chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. intends to pursue with more vigor in 2023.

Recently, the top cop convened a yearend top-level command conference in Camp Crame attended by his Command Group, members of the PNP Directorial Staff, the five Area Police Commanders, the 17 Police Regional Office directors and the different National Operational and Administrative Support Units.

Gen. Azurin said that the conference is aimed at assessing how the PNP fared in 2022 while it is looking ahead at better prospects for the organization in the coming year.

During their command conference, the PNP chief was given an updated briefing on the security and crime situation and threat assessment and forecast for the entire yuletide season, the National Crime Situation, updates on rape cases, the PNP operational accomplishments, the Revitalized Kasimbayanan Project and the PNP’s anti-crime efforts and deployment.

The successful outcome of the major events that unfolded during the year is the result of sheer hard work, careful planning and preparation by PNP units,” Gen. Azurin said.

However, he admitted that the “challenge now is to sustain our gains especially these coming days when the traditional public activities associated with the yuletide shall keep people busy on a spending spree in shopping malls and commercial centers, night markets, and holiday destinations.”

Gen. Azurin likewise also emphasized their outlook for the rest of the holidays such as the expected reduction of crime trends in December compared to the previous months due to the 85 percent deployment of PNP personnel in places of massive convergence and major vital installations, the mobilization of their ‘force multipliers’ to support their security operations, the conduct of continuous checkpoints and chokepoints, the timely release of infographics on safety tips to avoid being victimized by cyber criminals and their all-out effort to arrest manufacturers, resellers and users of illegal firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.

According to the PNP chief, the country’s Total Crime Incidents generally went down by 2.80 percent or 10,234 fewer cases from 366,111 in 2021 to only 355,877 cases from January 1 to December 9 this year.

During the same period, Gen. Azurin said that index crimes went down by 2.76 percent or 1,052 from 38,084 in 2021 compared to only 37,032 in 2022. Index Crimes decreased in Luzon by 1.24 percent; by 6.34 percent in the Visayas; and by 3.24 percent in Mindanao.

The PNP chief said that except for theft and robbery which increased by 8.3 percent and 0.2 percent respectively, , all the other focus crime categories of murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, motor vehicle theft and motorcycle theft posted single to double-digit rate of decrease.

Most significant of them is the 1.78 percent reduction of motorbike theft cases and the 21.57 percent reduction in incidents of motor vehicle theft.

“However, during the year, we noted an increase of 11.96 percent in Public Safety Indicator, comprising 16,989 more incidents of Vehicular Incidents resulting in homicide, Physical Injury and Damage to Property from 142,039 incidents in 2021 to 159,028 in 2022,” he said.

“Our discussion of Public Safety Indicator of Vehicular incidents should, therefore, serve to further raise public awareness at this most opportune time when increased public activity involving road travel, and festivities accentuated by alcohol consumption and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics is more likely,” he added.

Gen. Azurin maintained that their massive yuletide security preparations will continue nationwide to protect the public. He said that they have already laid out a security and public safety plan to make the season meaningful, safe, bountiful and enjoyable for all Filipinos.

The PNP chief has also joined the grand kick-off of ‘Buhay ay Iwasan, Droga ay Ayawan or BIDA movement in Metro Manila with the National Capital Region Police Office leading the ceremonial program launch of the national anti-drug abuse movement.

The BIDA program in Metro Manila is being spearheaded by Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ C. Abalos Jr. and NCRPO chief, newly-promoted Major Gen. Jonnel C. Estomo.