The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said a drop in ordinance violators under the Safer Cities Initiative signals improving public compliance rather than just stricter enforcement.

PNP chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the decline to about 7,000 violators reflects stronger community cooperation and consistent policing. “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,” he said.

The initiative, launched on 6 April in line with directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Jonvic Remulla, enforces rules on public drinking, topless loitering, late-night karaoke and curfews for minors. PNP data showed 6,514 violators on 19 April, down from 13,139 on 7 April, with total cases exceeding 119,000 in two weeks.

Most violations involved public drinking (35,394), followed by curfew breaches (9,214), topless loitering (7,755) and karaoke beyond 10 p.m. (1,867), while 64,880 cases covered other ordinance breaches.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has urged local government units to pass ordinances supporting the initiative. Nartatez said clearer legal backing will help standardize enforcement and sustain gains.

“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. High-impact policing requires a high-level legal backbone from our LGUs,” he said.