A Study on the Lived Experiences of Bagong Silang Residents towards Philippine National Police (PNP) on their Perceived Safety from 2018 to 2024

Known to be one of the hotspots during the War on Drugs, the harsh conditions of Bagong Silang became a critical site for examining how residents internalize and respond to law enforcement. While current research on safety predominantly focuses on quantitative approach, the study explores the lived experiences of the residents in Bagong Silang concerning their encounters and perceived safety with the Philippine National Police (PNP) performance and efforts in safety as well as the administration’s policies in peace and order from 2018 to 2024. Drawing from the grounded qualitative narratives of 15 participants, it reveals that perceptions of safety remain highly shaped by social cohesion across Class A and long-term residents wherein communal intimacy and the culture of pakikisama foster a sense of collective security in the area. Moreover, it suggests that safety is rooted not solely in the success of crime reduction but in the continued recognition of PNP’s mandate “to serve and protect”. Through the lens of procedural justice theory, the legitimacy of police presence is reinforced among the aged 38-47 even amid inadequacies and extrajudicial killings associated during the previous administration. This reflects a desensitization to violence, considering it as justified enforcement in the name of order. Notably, respondents aged 19 to 22 articulated ethical concerns about police misconduct and the apparent lack of accountability within the Philippine National Police (PNP). Thus, this paper underscores the imperative to prioritize safety in ways that are just and effective to the complexities of lived realities.