Home Security Checklist Philippines 2026 — Complete Home Safety Audit

1. Door Security

Main front door uses a deadbolt or digital lock — not just a knob latch.
Front door is solid wood or metal-core — not hollow-core (hollow doors can be kicked in easily).
Door frame is reinforced with metal strike plate secured by 75mm (3-inch) screws into the door stud — not the standard 25mm screws.
All household helpers have individual lock credentials (separate PIN or fingerprint profile) — not a shared house key.
Keys have NOT been duplicated without your knowledge in the past 12 months. (If you cannot confirm this, upgrade to a digital lock.)
Service door / back door has an equally secure lock — not an older, weaker lock than the front.
Glass panels adjacent to door locks cannot be broken to reach the lock mechanism from outside.

Ground-floor windows have secondary locking pins or security bolts beyond the standard sliding latch.
Sliding glass doors have security bars or anti-lift pins preventing the panel from being lifted out of the track.
Accessible windows (reachable from walls, trees, or neighboring structures) are covered by an alarm door/window sensor.
Awning and jalousie windows on ground level have security grilles or are covered by a motion sensor inside the room.

The main gate / driveway entrance is covered by a camera facing outward.
The front door is visible in camera footage — with enough resolution to identify a face at that distance.
Side passages and service gates are covered — not just the main entry point.
There are no significant blind spots in the property perimeter that an intruder could use as a concealed approach path.
At least one indoor camera covers the main living area — verifiable remotely by OFW household members.
Night vision is functional — test at night to confirm useful footage quality in darkness.
Recording storage (MicroSD or cloud) has not reached capacity — old footage is being overwritten or deleted properly.
Camera firmware is up to date — check the app for available updates.

All ground-floor doors and accessible windows have door/window sensors installed.
At least one PIR motion detector covers the main interior access route from entry to living areas.
GSM alarm SIM has active credit and has not expired — test-trigger an SMS alert to confirm.
Alarm panel battery backup is functional — disconnect main power briefly to test backup operation.
All alert contacts (6-8 numbers) are correct, active, and have been briefed on the response protocol.
A panic button is accessible to the most vulnerable household member (elderly parent, young child left with helper).

The gate and driveway entrance are well-lit at night — intruders avoid well-illuminated entry points.
Side passages have at least one light source that remains on from dusk to dawn (or is motion-triggered).
Motion-sensor lights are installed at key entry points — the sudden activation of a bright light is itself a deterrent.
Interior lights are on a timer when the house is vacant — an occupied-looking home is less attractive to intruders.

All cameras are accessible via app from your current country — confirm live feed is loading within 10 seconds.
Smart lock access log shows no unexpected entries in the past 30 days.
Your local proxy (trusted relative or neighbor) has confirmed they are still available as a physical responder.
Your home WiFi connection at the Philippine property is stable — if cameras frequently go offline, the router may need upgrading.
You have verbally checked in with the kasambahay or household occupant in the past week to confirm all is normal.
Your home's barangay tanod contact number is saved in your phone and in the GSM alarm contact list.