City of Gentle People No More

What is wrong with Dumaguete nowadays? Incidents of crime and violence seem to get more rampant everyday. In the last few days, for example, there were at least 5 violent deaths around the city.

Dumaguete takes pride in being known as "The City of Gentle People." I guess that's not the case anymore. Over the past year or so, these are some of the incidents I've heard about. A mother was shot while on a motorbike with her kid in a subdivision. Another was killed near a public park. A friend of the mayor himself was killed at his residence. Two people were shot dead on the sidewalk near a convenience store. Another three stabbed each other to death in the same area a few months ago. An acquaintance was shot coming out of a bar. Someone was stabbed while at a gas station, a bar, and in other public places. Many other similar incidents have occurred throughout the city.

Why is this happening? Some say it's vigilante groups taking the law into their own hands. In fact, many of the victims are actually thieves and pushers. Another opinion is that the violence are acts of terrorism by syndicates coming from other places. Others also think it is an indirect result of the increasing drug addiction and heavy drinking in the city. Just about a month ago, a student was arrested on campus after a buy-bust operation.

Theft is so rampant in Dumaguete, ranging from simple cellphone snatching to actual breaking in offices and establishments. In Silliman, for example, several thefts were reported. A couple of laptops and a number of cellphones were stolen. There were incidents reported at the CBA, Nursing, Law, and AS offices, as well as the university bookstore.

It's about time our city government act on this. The rise of crimes in the city discourages potential investors and tourists from coming here. I really do not know how exactly, but one thing I could suggest is to add police visibility around the city. This was what some officials did in New York City in the past decade. About 650,000 serious crimes and murders were committed yearly from the 1960s to the 1990s. Then 2 police consultants suggested the increase of the presence of policemen in public places. Incredibly, criminality in New York City declined sharply by 65% in just a few years.