OPINION

Divine love

Speaking of communities, crime across the country has dropped by 50 percent, according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

Paulo Flores

We often treat the Holy Trinity — the Father, Son and Holy Spirit — as a complex mathematical riddle to be solved. But God is not a solitary entity looking down on us from a distance. God is a relationship. The Father loves the Son, the Son loves the Father, and the Holy Spirit is the bond of that love.

God did not create us and then abandon us. The Father sent the Son not to condemn us, but to save us. Through the Incarnation of Jesus, God walked our streets, felt our pain, and showed us how to live in communion with one another. And through the Holy Spirit, God continues to dwell within us, guiding, comforting, and strengthening our daily steps.

The mystery of the Holy Trinity reflects God’s overflowing love. It ties the Gospel of John to our daily lives, reminding us that we are called to build communities defined by relationships, sacrifice and divine communion.

This means that because we are created in the image and likeness of this Triune God, our lives are meant to reflect this very same dynamic of love. We are not meant to live in isolation.

The Trinity challenges us to look at how we treat our families, our neighbors, and our communities.

Speaking of communities, crime across the country has dropped by 50 percent, according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

Per studies, crime in the NCR has dropped by 26 percent. Rape has gone down 60 percent; physical injuries by 50 percent. For the first time across numerous survey firms, peace and order is no longer in the top five of Filipinos’ concerns — it is now at number 12.

Based on recent reports, a steady nationwide decrease in the crime rate — with the overall crime incidence dropping by 30 percent and focus crimes dropping by 16 percent — was largely attributed to the implementation of the “Safer Cities Initiative.”

Under the government’s Safer Cities Initiative — with stronger enforcement, better coordination, and shared responsibility among communities — Remulla said the improvement is being seen not only in major cities, but in provinces and towns across the country.

He said peace and order can be achieved through the proper enforcement of the law and close cooperation between barangays, police, and local governments.

“Peace and order is possible by the positive application of the law, the cooperation of the barangays and the police. It is possible to have a more peaceful community without killing anyone,” he said.

Remulla said the initiative focuses on prevention, including curfews for minors, regulating disruptive late-night activities and improving police visibility in public spaces.

He also assured continued national government support for provinces through investments in facilities, local capability-building and public safety programs.