A perception study conducted by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) entitled “2024 Mindanao Safety Rating” showed that Mindanao’s overall safety rating increased by 1.69% to 89.69% in 2024 from 88% in 2023.
“This find complementation the efforts of the foreign diplomatic community and it is also being used and referred to by the joint foreign chambers, this proves the point that Mindanao is safe,” said Adrian Tamayo, Officer-in-Charge of the Policy Formulation Division of MinDA in an interview.
Based on the study, Basilan and Lanao del Sur were identified as the safest areas in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) with a 95% safety rating, respectively.
Following Basilan in BARMM is Cotabato City with 90%, Sulu with 87%, Tawi Tawi with 87%, Maguindanao del Norte with 85%, and Maguindanao del Sur with 80%.
In Davao Region, Davao Oriental has the highest rating with 95% followed by Davao del Sur with 94%, Davao de Oro and Davao Occidental with 90%, Davao del Norte with 89%, and Davao City with 86%.
In Zamboanga Peninsula, Zamboanga City and Zamboanga Sibugay emerged with the highest safety rating at 94% followed by Zamboanga del Norte with 93%, Zamboanga del Sur with 90%, and Isabela City with 79%.
In Northern Mindanao, Iligan gained a safety rating of 98%, Camiguin with 97%, Cagayan de Oro with 95%, Misamis Oriental with 92%, Lanao del Norte with 92%, Bukidnon with 90%, and Misamis Occidental with 88%.
In SOCCSKSARGEN, General Santos City is the safest at 94% followed by South Cotabato with 92%, Saranggani with 90%, North Cotabato with 87%, and Sultan Kudarat with 83%.
In Caraga, Agusan del Sur got 91%, 88% for Surigao del Norte, 87% for Agusan del Norte, 79% for Butuan and 83% for Surigao del Sur.
Tamayo said that it was the same study with the same technique used by Pulse Asia and SWS, which are using a 3% margin of error.
“It employs a 3% margin of error and it is a systematic sampling. The respondents, usually the target of every region is 1,200. That is the framework of the sampling design for this study,” he said.
Tamayo said that there were 7,200 plus minus respondents, aged 18 years old and above, who participated in the study.
“In every region the respondents were systematically chosen and there is a system to that, there’s a technique that is being employed to reduce the error. We have to make it random. Sometimes meron kami nakukuha dito na travelers, let’s say they just happened to be in a place and were chosen as respondents,” Tamayo said.
Tamayo added that the results of the study complement the declaration on December 19, 2024, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan revising the overseas travel safety information including the risk level (Travel Advisory) for parts of Mindanao in the Republic of the Philippines.
“Basilan is showing that it is the safest, Lanao del Sur is also, the people there are already saying that they feel safer compared to before, Saranggani Province maintains it’s high rating in terms of being a safe province, in Davao it’s Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur,” he said.
Tamayo recommended cascading and informing the public that the result of the study shows the condition of Mindanao now.
“Looking forward we have to enjoy the peace and safety that we have because it also changes the culture. Long before when people mentioned Mindanao, it is war and conflict,” he said.
