MANILA, Philippines – Salcedo Village in Makati City in the Philippine capital region is known for its posh yet cozy neighborhood, lined with restaurants and quaint cafés.
Every Saturday, one of the portions of the area transforms into a vibrant marketplace where stalls brim with fresh produce, artisanal goods, flowers, and a variety of foods. Residents and visitors stroll freely under the shade of lush green trees.
But when night falls, the atmosphere changes. Whether it’s a weekend or a weekday, the neighborhood of Salcedo is on alert for criminal activities — often involving motorcycle riders.
Last November 7, the Makati City police arrested two men for allegedly robbing two Japanese men, Inquirer reported.
Makati City Police Substation 6 Commander Major Jay Ar Fajardo told Rappler that Salcedo has become a magnet for robbers, with high-value targets like foreigners often carrying top-of-the-line phones and cash.
In recent months, Salcedo has seen an uptick in economic and violent crimes, such as robbery, compared to last year.
Fajardo said that they are stretched thin, with officers patrolling three barangays — Bel-Air, Poblacion, and Guadalupe Viejo — each night. Guadalupe Viejo is one of Makati’s most densely populated areas, while Poblacion is known for its nightlife scene.
Substation 6 operates with just 33 personnel, each working 12-hour shifts, six days a week. Fajardo said they need 66 to 80 more officers to keep up, adding that sometimes they are the ones being sneaked up on by criminals.
“Right now, we only have two roving teams for night patrols,” Fajardo said, citing challenges such as the district’s mix of residential zones, at least 14 embassies, and its proximity to Makati’s main Central Business District.
While the Makati City government has approved the hiring of 72 additional police officers, their deployment may take some time due to training requirements, Fajardo said.
Call for limited entry-exit point
In response to rising crime, Salcedo residents are calling for the implementation of a single entry-and-exit point from 10 pm to 4 am. They proposed H.V. Dela Costa Street as the designated access point.
Barangay Bel-Air officials, where Salcedo is located, backed the initiative. Barangay Bel-Air chairperson Cynthia Cervantes said adding additional barangay tanod (village watchmen) and streetlights could only do so much.
Major Fajardo also supported the measure, citing Rockwell’s limited entry points as an effective crime prevention model, which could be helpful given their current manpower shortage.
Salcedo residents already submitted the proposal to the Makati Commercial Estate Association (MACEA) and the city government on October 22, but residents are still waiting for a formal response.
In an initial conversation with MACEA, Cervantes said the MACEA voiced concerns about the proposal, saying that the neighborhood might end up looking like a “militarized zone.”
Rappler has reached out to MACEA for comment and will update this story once we get the response. MACEA oversees the management of both Salcedo and Legaspi Village and is responsible for issuing permits for road closures, signage installations, and building construction, among others.
In 2021, 728 residents also wrote a letter to MACEA and the Makati City government to address the rising crimes and laid out recommendations. In response, the Makati Police, in coordination with MACEA, had set up two tents on Tordesillas and Leviste streets and had more roving patrols.
In the same year, 2021, theft was the leading crime recorded in Makati with 187 cases (50.82%), followed by robbery with 68 cases (18.48%). – Rappler.com