ALL POSTS
ALL POSTS
By: Alexandra Yvonne Quizon
Streetlights in Philippine Crime Situations — Crime volume is the number of crime incidents per 100,000 population. Among the 17 regions of the Philippines, the total and index crime volume was highest in the National Capital Region (NCR) while crimes in the metropolitan area were prevalent in the cities of Quezon, Manila, and Caloocan. Data published by the Statista Research Department (2022) revealed that theft was the most occurring crime, followed by rape and physical injury. These street crimes were considered severe and happened regularly. The Philippines' lack of street lighting has been cited as one of the factors contributing to the high rate of robberies and kidnappings in some localities (Sollano, 2014).
Streetlights in Road Safety — Between the hours of 7 pm and 8 am, 25% of all car traffic occurs during this time while 40% of fatal and serious injuries happen in the same period. A study by the Department for Transport in 2003 found that road safety was perceived as a key benefit for street lighting improvement. In the study, 63.8% agreed that "enhanced street lighting would lead to fewer accidents on the roads". In line with this, the study conducted by The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (2018) has shown that the public is in favor of street lighting as a way of improving road safety and that, if anything, it needs to be improved in some areas.
References:
-https://www.rospa.com/rospaweb/docs/advice-services/road-safety/roads/street-lighting.pdf-https://unafei.or.jp/publications/pdf/RS_No68/No68_13VE_Leones1.pdf-https://www.statista.com/topics/6994/crime-in-the-philippines/By: Cameron Janh Nolasco
Shocking news continues to emerge in Angeles City, Pampanga. According to Philstar, two motorcycle-riding suspects recently molested and shot dead a 15-year-old girl. On the other hand, Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar issued an order after two suspects were caught in Manila on Sunday for stealing a woman's bag as she walked along Magsaysay Boulevard and Lacson Avenue in Barangay 420 (Philstar, 2021). Hearing the news, you can conclude that an inadequate supply of streetlighting contributed to these.
Living in a place with no proper street lighting is terrifying. Individuals have limited protection when there is insufficient street lighting. The road I'm traveling on the way home has no street lights. My class schedule runs from 12:30 p.m. to 5:50 p.m., by which time it is already dark. Riding home feels like fighting the night with light as your only weapon. Fear of the crimes and wondering if we'll make it home safely are the thoughts that race through our minds as we ride in the dark. These thoughts cause anxiety, anxiousness, and stress. With that being said, proper street lighting benefits not only everyone's safety but also their mental health and emotional well-being.