Crime Statistics in Calamba: Is it Getting Safer, or Am I Just Losing It?

okay, so. i'm currently fueled by instant coffee and the vague anxiety of being a touring session drummer who accidentally stayed in calamba a little longer than planned. it's humid, like walking into a warm towel someone forgot to take out of the dryer. and it's raining, not a dramatic downpour, more like the sky is perpetually sighing. apparently, tagaytay is just a short drive away if you need a break from the… everything.

i was chatting with this guy, manong ernie, at a carinderia - seriously, the best adobo i’ve had in ages - and he was telling me about how things have… shifted. he’s lived here his whole life, and he says it used to be you could leave your gate open. now? not so much. which, honestly, feels pretty universal these days, right? but it got me thinking, because i’m a data nerd disguised as someone who hits things for a living, i started digging into the actual numbers.

according to the calamba city police station’s reports (which, let’s be real, are a pain to find online - seriously, someone needs to update that website), reported incidents of theft have actually decreased slightly over the last year. like, a tiny bit. but incidents of physical harm? those are… stubbornly consistent. it’s not a massive spike, but it’s not going down either. it’s just… there. and that’s unsettling. i found a thread on the Calamba subreddit where people were talking about petty theft around the *market and near the universities. a lot of “watch your bags” type stuff.

rent is… well, it’s climbing. i’m staying in a little apartment near the university, and i’m paying around ₱15,000 a month for something that’s basically a glorified shoebox. i checked on Lamudi and similar places are going for ₱18,000-₱25,000 now. which, for a drummer who’s constantly on the road, is… annoying. it’s not manila prices, thankfully, but it’s definitely not cheap anymore. the job market seems okay, a lot of call centers and some manufacturing, but i overheard someone at a coffee shop (yes, i eavesdrop, it’s part of my job - i need inspiration for drum fills!) saying that decent-paying jobs are competitive.

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"Honestly, it feels like everyone's just trying to make ends meet. You gotta be careful, especially at night. There are stories… you hear things."
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my friend, a freelance photographer who was here last month, told me (after a few too many San Miguels) that she felt perfectly safe walking around during the day, but wouldn’t dream of doing it after dark. she said the area around the shopping malls felt pretty secure, but the smaller barangays were a bit more… unpredictable. she also recommended checking out TripAdvisor for tourist spots, but warned me about the traffic. apparently, it’s legendary.

so, is calamba getting safer? i honestly don’t know. the stats are… inconclusive. it feels like it’s less about a massive crime wave and more about a slow creep of insecurity. like, it’s not necessarily more dangerous, but it’s definitely less… carefree. i’ve been checking out reviews of restaurants on Yelp and people seem to be more concerned about parking security than actual violent crime, which is… something.

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"My cousin got his motorcycle stolen right outside the 7-Eleven. Broad daylight! They say it's the snatch-and-grab guys."
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look, i’m a drummer, not a detective. all i know is that i’m keeping my wits about me, locking my doors, and maybe investing in a really loud cymbal. just in case. and i’m definitely keeping an eye on my gear. because losing a snare drum is a fate worse than death.

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"Don't walk alone near the rice paddies at night. Just... don't. People say there's weird stuff happening out there.*"
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