SDG 3 in Public Safety: An Analysis of Mental Health and Psychosocial Risks within the Philippine National Police

Abstract

Background: Policing is recognized as a psychologically taxing profession, yet empirical data on specific psychosocial predictors of stress and burnout in Southeast Asian contexts remain limited. This study analyzed the predictors of mental health among Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel, aligning institutional strategies with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3).

Methods: Anchored in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model, the research utilized a descriptive-predictive quantitative design. Data were collected from a nationwide sample of 3,725 personnel. A researcher-made instrument was refined from an 80-item pool through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), yielding four factors: Occupational Stressors, Safety Risks, Institutional Support, and Burnout. The instrument demonstrated high psychometric integrity (IV KMO = .985; DV KMO = .902) and internal consistency (overall α = .97). Data were analyzed using weighted means and multiple linear regression.

Results: Respondents reported Very High levels of institutional support (M = 4.23) but concurrently experienced High occupational stressors (M = 4.10) and burnout (M = 3.99). Conversely, workplace safety risks were perceived as Low (M = 2.21), indicating a professional normalization of field-related hazards. The regression model explained 70.9% of the variance in psychological well-being (R² = .709). Occupational Stressors emerged as the dominant significant predictor ( β= .770, p < .001), while safety risks were non-significant (p = .410).

Conclusion: The findings confirm that the "health impairment process" within the PNP is primarily driven by internal organizational ambiguities specifically role confusion and informational gaps rather than operational dangers. Despite great reactive support systems, the high burnout rate suggests that current resources are outpaced by administrative demands. Recommendations include a strategic Job Role Audit to reduce cognitive load and the institutionalization of proactive resilience training within the "Bantay Kaisipan" framework to foster sustainable organizational wellness.