Caraga remains peaceful, Dinagat Islands declared safest province: MinDA survey
By Renelle Luzon Escuadro
BUTUAN CITY – The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) has announced that the Caraga region remains peaceful, with Dinagat Islands declared the safest province in the region, based on the latest Mindanao Trust, Respect, and Safety Study (M-T-R-S-S) results.
The third-quarter survey, presented to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Caraga in Butuan City, revealed a high level of public satisfaction with the PNP's performance in the region. The PNP Caraga received a 91 percent satisfaction rating, 89 percent in respect and trust, 88 percent in security, and 87 percent in safety.
A Reflection of Peace and
Security:
Dr. Adrian M. Tamayo, public
relations chief of MinDA, emphasized that the M-T-R-S-S is a scientific
baseline survey on public safety, satisfaction, and service delivery by the
PNP, forming part of the Mindanao Agenda 2023-2028. He highlighted that the
survey results are a testament to the peaceful and safe environment enjoyed by
Caraga residents.
Dinagat Islands: A Model of
Safety:
The survey also revealed
that Dinagat Islands emerged as the safest province in the Caraga region,
further reinforcing the region's overall peaceful status.
The
positive findings of the M-T-R-S-S underscore the collaborative efforts of the
PNP and other stakeholders in maintaining peace and security in the Caraga
region, creating a conducive environment for development and progress.
Dinagat Islands, safest province in Caraga
The
province of Dinagat Islands topped the satisfaction rating with 98 percent. It
also excelled in other criteria, especially in security, with a 95 percent rating,
solidifying its status as the safest province in the region.
“Dinagat
Islands, as brought by its natural advantage of being an island, is able to
perform police services impressively. It is easy for them to interact and
engage with the people, and that their programs further enhance their
capacities,” Tamayo shared.
Meanwhile,
the province of Agusan del Norte displayed very high degree of satisfaction
ratings on the police performance as it is primarily driven by trust, and the
security which offered them a sense of safety in the province.
Agusan del
Sur maintained the 93 percent satisfaction rating on police services brought
upon by 91 percent perception of safety, rights-based policing, and people’s
trust. More so, the security or people’s sense of security in the province is
relatively lower.
Surigao del
Norte’s driver is trust, which is a measure of character and competence of the
police. Safety is at a tempered rating showing people’s perception of being
safe at any given time and place.
The
province of Surigao del Sur, on the other hand, maintained people’s trust as a
lead indicator of its performance. The impression of safety at 84 percent might
be the cause of a tempered satisfaction rating. Respect (rights-based policing)
and security maintained at 87 percent.
As the
highly urbanized city in the region, Butuan City sustained a 79 percent safety
rating. There is elevation on security and satisfaction ratings, the safety
measure however remained at a lower scale, an indication of the need for
the community to work well with the police.
Regional performance
“The
dent and stretch of PNP Caraga showed the continuing very high degree of
satisfaction on the police services in the region. Such high satisfaction
ratings can likely be attributable primarily to the rights-based policing and
the sustained trust of the public on the police,” Tamayo said, commending
the competence of the whole police force in the region.
According
to PNP Caraga’s PCOL Restituto P. Lacano Jr., deputy regional director for
operations, the survey results are not just numbers; they reflect the
relationship and trust of the people in the police.
The M-T-R-S-S survey, which began in 2022, is led by Min-DA using a sampling design and random selection of respondents from residents, tourists, and travelers aged 18 and above in targeted locations. This year, 1,202 respondents participated in the survey in the Caraga region. (RLE/PIA-Caraga)
