THE Philippine National Police (PNP) reported a decline in ordinance violations, attributing the drop to increased public cooperation and more consistent enforcement under its Safer Cities Initiative.
In a statement, PNP Chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the number of violators has fallen to about 7,000, signaling what he described as a shift from fear-based compliance to voluntary adherence to local rules.
“The numbers don't lie. Malaking bahagi nito ay ang kooperasyon ng publiko. When people see that we are fair and consistent, they follow the rules. It’s a transition from fear of arrest to a culture of compliance. We want to see these numbers drop even further as the community takes ownership of their safety,” Nartatez said.
Launched on April 6, the Safer Cities Initiative enforces stricter rules on public drinking, topless loitering, late-night karaoke, and curfews for minors, targeting common sources of street disturbances and petty crime.
PNP data showed that as of April 19, daily violators dropped to 6,514 from a peak of 13,139 recorded on April 7.
Total violations reached more than 119,000 within two weeks of implementation.
Public drinking accounted for the largest share of offenses at 35,394 cases, followed by curfew violations involving minors with 9,214 cases.
Other recorded violations included 7,755 incidents of topless loitering and 1,867 cases of karaoke use beyond the 10 p.m. limit. Authorities also logged 64,880 violations under various local ordinances.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has urged local government units to pass ordinances supporting the initiative, a move welcomed by the PNP leadership.
Nartatez said formalizing the policy at the local level would help ensure uniform enforcement and reduce confusion among both law enforcers and the public.
“A standardized ordinance ensures there is no confusion on the ground. It protects our officers from accusations of inconsistency and protects the citizens from ‘hit-or-miss’ enforcement,” he added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)