ILOILO City – Criminal activity significantly dropped during the Dinagyang Festival 2026, with police recording a 44.44 percent decrease in focus crimes, underscoring what authorities described as one of the most secure festival celebrations in recent years.
Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) director Brigadier General Josefino Ligan announced the figures during the Dinagyang 2026 Closing and Awarding Ceremony on January 26 at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand, saying the weeklong festivities concluded without any major peace and order incidents that could have disrupted public celebrations.
According to Ligan, police recorded no serious disturbances, riots, or large-scale public disorder during the festival’s highlights, a result he attributed to early planning, disciplined security deployment, and strong cooperation from both residents and visitors.
“The commander’s intent was clear — to ensure that Dinagyang 2026 would be safe, peaceful, and enjoyable for everyone and we are proud to say that we achieved that goal,” Ligan said. “The reduction of focus crimes by 44.44 percent shows that our preventive strategies, visibility patrols, checkpoints, and intelligence-driven operations were effective.”
The decline covered the eight focus crimes monitored by the Philippine National Police — theft, robbery, physical injury, homicide, murder, rape, car theft, and motorcycle theft — with police noting that heightened visibility and rapid-response capability played a crucial role in deterring criminal activity.
PRO-6 reported that 7,579 security personnel were deployed across key venues, major roads, transport terminals, and crowd convergence areas. The security force included personnel from the police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Coast Guard, local government units, barangay officials, and volunteer force multipliers.
Ligan emphasized that public discipline was equally vital in maintaining order throughout the festival.
“Dinagyang 2026 proved that Ilonggos know how to celebrate responsibly. The people followed advisories, respected security measures, and worked with authorities. Peace and order is not achieved by the police alone — it is a shared responsibility,” he said.
He also credited the Iloilo City government, the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc., emergency responders, and partner agencies for strong inter-agency coordination, which ensured swift action and uninterrupted festivities.
With Dinagyang 2026 concluding peacefully, PRO-6 said it intends to sustain the same proactive security framework in future large-scale events, reinforcing Iloilo City’s reputation as a model for safe and well-managed festivals nationwide./PN
