THE 2023 1st Quarter Survey by the independent group Octa Research which showed eight out of ten Filipinos “continue to trust” and are “satisfied” with the performance of the Philippine National Police (PNP), will further inspire the 228,000-strong force to work harder to keep peace and order and at the same time go after rogues in uniform, PNP chief, General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. said on Monday.

“I am honored to extend the congratulations of the national leadership to all units and personnel of the PNP for obtaining a truly inspiring expression of public trust and satisfaction in the First Quarter 2023 Tugon ng Masa survey of the prestigious Octa Research Group,” said the PNP chief.

“The trust and satisfaction on the PNP expressed by 80 percent of the population is an affirmation of other related public surveys, particularly the opinion of 85 percent of Filipinos that the Philippines is headed in the right direction under the Marcos Jr. administration,” the top cop added.

Following the survey, Acorda said the “PNP is truly grateful to deserve this expression of approval by our people. We can only return the (compliment) and reciprocate the trust of the people with our avowed commitment of genuine public service and honest performance of duty to protect and serve the people even at the risk of our own lives,” he said.

PNP Public Information Office (PIO) chief P/Brigadier Gen. Redrico A. Maranan said they are fully humbled by the result of the survey.

“It is heartwarming to note that eight in every ten Filipinos find the PNP trustworthy and are satisfied with our performance of duty as servants and protectors of the people,” the official said.

Maranan attributed several factors to the positive results of the OCTA research when it comes to the performance of the police force.

“First, our commitment to do honest-to-goodness community engagement has been instrumental in fostering trust and satisfaction among the Filipino population. We have placed a strong emphasis on engaging with local communities, listening to their concerns, and involving them in decision-making processes. By actively involving the Police, Church and the Community, we have created a sense of ownership and collaboration, leading to improved peace and order,” he said.

Furthermore, he said that their relentless pursuit of intelligence-driven law enforcement operations has significantly contributed to these positive outcomes.

“We have been steadfast in our efforts to apprehend criminals, prevent crime, and ensure the safety of the public. Our dedication to upholding the rule of law, human rights, and swiftly responding to incidents has resonated with the Filipino people, instilling confidence in our ability to maintain peace and order,” he explained.

“Additionally, continuous capacity building and training initiatives within the PNP have enhanced the professionalism and effectiveness of our officers. By equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge, we have been able to carry out our duties more efficiently and provide a higher level of service to the public,” the PNP-PIO chief said.

These public expressions of trust and satisfaction of the police, Maranan said, is an affirmation of the 85% response of Filipinos that the government is headed in the right direction.

“Such positive outlook among satisfied people are among favorable conditions that should further improve the 6.4 percent GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth and the high employment rate posted by the Philippines in recent months,” the PNP-PIO chief said.

“The challenge for the PNP now is to sustain these high trust and satisfaction numbers and perhaps convince the 15 percent undecided survey respondents of our sincerity to deserve their trust, thru better performance and honest-to-goodness police service. We can only offer the assurance that the PNP will continue to be the true servant and protector of the people in the years ahead,” he added.

The PNP chief said that amid their continuing effort to muster the full support of the citizenry in addressing criminality, major crimes in the country also went down from January to date, even as the police force continued to register huge drug seizures since the start of the year.

The top cop said that the first week of May showcased the continuing decline in peace and order indicators or POIs, particularly index crime, which dropped by 10.59 percent from 15,064 in January to May 13, 2022, to 13,469 in 2023 of the same date.

He added that the Average Monthly Index Crime Rate also decreased by 8.51 percent from 13.87 in 2022 to 12.69 in 2023.

The PNP chief explained that focus crimes which include murder, homicide, physical injury, robbery, theft, rape, and carnapping of motor vehicles, went down by 10.66 percent from 14,990 cases in 2022 to 13,392 cases in 2023.

Notably, he said that incidents of physical injury recorded the highest decrease of 25.68 percent from 2,142 incidents in 2022 to 1,592 cases in 2023.

“This continuing decrease of incidents is attributed to the consistent implementation of numerous policies, such as intensified police visibility, intelligence-driven operations, community-based programs, strengthened partnerships with other agencies, and improved crime reporting and monitoring systems,” said Acorda.