In Defense of the Right to Life: Analyzing Factors Affecting Filipino Opinion About Death Penalty This paper has also been able to surface issues that can be (but not limited to) future topics for academic and policy research: 1. Whether the death penalty has a deterrent effect through a survey of the Philippine crime rates before, during and after the existence of the death penalty in the Philippines; 2. An analysis of the media portrayal of crime and the justice system in the Philippines in television, in print and in social media; 3. The impact of knowledge of the death penalty assessed in a long period of time among Filipinos through time series analysis as one methodology; 4. An analysis of the tendency of Filipinos to support the measures proposed by the Government; 5. The impact of income in public opinion surveys. The CHRP and advocates against the death penalty can glean awareness and education campaign strategies from the findings of the paper. They may endeavor to bridge dialogues with the legislators about alternatives to the death penalty and engage with the relevant government agencies, such as the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Local Government Units, and all those relating to security. The public will have nothing to fear from a criminal justice system that follows the rule of law and respects the rights of all - defendants, victims and witnesses. This paper can also serve as reference in the discussions with the media that covers the news on crimes and the justice system, as the findings contextualized public perception on the death penalty and their feeling of safety and worry of being victimized by crime. Further information and education campaign with the media can include featuring stories of how the State is able to resolve crimes and prevent the commission of crimes through human rightsbased approaches and presentation of reliable data on crime statistics, prosecution of criminal cases and penal reform. 21