The country’s crime rate dropped 16 percent during the first 43 days of a new anti-crime initiative, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday.

Data released by the PNP shows that 3,776 focus crimes were recorded nationwide from 6 April, when the “Safer Cities” campaign launched, through 18 May. That total is down from the 4,495 focus crimes recorded during the preceding 43-day period from 22 February to 5 April, representing a decrease of 719 cases.

Police officials reported declines across all eight of the country’s tracking categories, known as focus crimes: murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, vehicle theft and motorcycle theft.

Rape cases saw the sharpest decline, falling 30.61 percent. Automobile theft dropped 28.2 percent, followed by physical injury at 25.93 percent, robbery at 15.12 percent and theft at 10.61 percent.

Motorcycle theft fell 6.64 percent, while homicides and murders decreased by 5 percent and 2.17 percent, respectively.

In the National Capital Region, focus crimes fell 8.57 percent during the same monitoring window.

The PNP credited the reductions to proactive policing, intelligence-driven operations, strategic personnel deployment, and sustained coordination with local government units.

PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the initial data demonstrates the effectiveness of maintaining a visible police presence and responsive law enforcement in urban areas.