President Ferdinand R. Marcos on Monday issued guidelines for the incoming leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP), stating that it should not only focus on reducing crime statistics but also making people feel secure.

“I will actually tell them (PNP), ‘Carry on with what you are doing.’ Because we have very good statistics concerning crime,” the President said during the Kapihan media forum held in Malaysia after the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.

Citing police records, the President said only 11,493 index crimes were tallied from January 1 to May 16 this year, down from 15,156 during the same period in 2024.

Index crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, robbery, theft, rape, and car thefts.

President Marcos said he also received reports stating that the number of crimes in Metro Manila went down by 23 percent in the past six months.

“They (PNP) must be doing something right,” he said.

The chief executive, however, noted that aside from bringing down crime numbers, the police should make people actually feel safe, especially when they’re out on the streets.

“What we have been talking about is making policemen more visible. This is to make people feel safer.”

“Basta kahit papaano, may pulis (dapat) diyan, may umiikot dito na pulis. Kaunting sigaw lang, tatakbo na,” President Marcos said, adding this is the reason why a new program called “Cops On the Beat” was initiated.

“Hindi sapat na nababawasan natin ‘yung krimen. Kailangan nakikita yung pulis para feeling safe naman yung mga tao,” President Marcos stressed. | PND