Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Pinoys Feel Safe This Election Year

Political campaign of the local candidates for the May 13, 2013 elections has started. Political rivalries may be ablaze, but government data on reported crime show that Pinoys seem to have reason to feel safer during election years.

Crime volumes and rates both dropped during election years between 1999 and 2008, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) said last month.

The same trend is seen from 2009 to 2012 as figures incomparable to those in previous years due to a different baseline (2009 data) show.

Compiled from police data, NSCB show that crime volumes decreased for election years 2001 by -3.9 percent, 2004 by -7.7 percent, and 2007 by -15.5 percent.

Crime rates--which measure volume of crimes per 100,000 population--also dipped by 5.9 percent in 2001, 9.7 percent in 2004, and 14.1 percent in 2007.

In the 2010 national election, crime volume fell by 35.5 percent and crime rate by 202.4 percent.

“The public perception of worsening crime statistics may actually just be more an issue of information hype given by media!” NSCB Secretary-General Jose Ramon Albert stressed.

The top state statistician noted, however, that in years immediately following elections, increases in crime rate and volume have been observed in two out of four since 1999.

Crime volume rose by 11.4 percent in 2002 and by 11 percent in 2008, data show.

Spikes in crime rates have been recorded in the same years--9.2 percent in 2002 and 6.1 percent in 2008.

The trends included intentional homicides which NSCB said is the crime most likely to go unreported.

This means that declines in crime rates and volumes are unlikely due to unreporting, NSCB added.

Ramon Albert also noted that the Philippines “fares comparatively well” with its neighbors in terms of intentional homicides as per United Nations data.

“So, it’s not only more fun, but safer in the Philippines, at least compared to Myanmar and Indonesia, which have far worse homicide statistics,” Albert said.

While he touted the consistent downtrend in reported crimes from 2009 to 2012, Albert noted that the rate of decline is decelerating.

“From 502,665 reported crimes in 2009, the volume of crimes went down to 324,083 in 2010 – a 35.5 percent decrease between the two-year period,” Albert said.

“In 2011, reported crime was registered at 246,958, down to 217,812 reported crimes in 2012 – a further (but slower) decline of 11.8 percent,” he added.

“The 2012 crime figure still translates to an average of 597 crimes being committed per day in the country!” Albert noted.

Aklan SP Approves 2013 Annual Budgets

During its 9th Regular Session on Wednesday, March 20, 2013, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan approved the 2013 annual budgets of the municipalities of Balete and Tangalan, SP Secretary Odon S. Bandiola informed the MP.

The Annual Budget of Balete for 2013 carrying a total appropriation of P61,731,034 was approved and declared operative.

On the other hand, Bandiola said the 2013 annual budget of Tangalan was declared inoperative in part. The Provincial Local Finance Committee(PLFC) has disallowed more than P700,000 appropriation for the indigence insurance program of the municipality to be funded out of the 20 percent Development Fund.

The annual general fund budget of Tangalan carries a total appropriation of P47,023,148.67 while its appropriation for the operation of the town’s economic enterprise carries a total amount of P3,599,244.10.

The SP earlier approved the annual budget of Buruanga with a total appropriation of P46,499,047 for General Fund, and P3,312,985.13 for the operation of its economic enterprise.

The Annual General Fund Budget of Altavas of P52,497,460 and its Economic Enterprise budget of P6,514,000; the Annual General Fund Budget of Kalibo of P158,686,091.18 and its MEE budget of P51,114,884.19; Madalag’s General Fund Budget of P58,987,030.00; Malay’s budget of P310,000,000; and New Washington’s General Fund Budget of P74,002,463 and its MEED’s budget of P14,791,750.80 are still under review by the PLFC. /MP