PNP sees 13% drop in crime since launch of Safer Cities program

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded a 13 percent drop in crime rates following the implementation of the Safer Cities initiative on April 6, 2026, compared with the previous three months.

PNP chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez reported the figure to the media on Monday.

“If we compare it to the period of the previous two years, as well as month by month… meaning December 2025, January, February, and March because we have implemented this [initiative] first week of April… We saw a downtrend of the figure – about 13 percent was reduced [in crimes] compared to those periods,” Nartatez shared in a mix of Filipino and English.

READ: Safer Cities: PNP reports drop in crimes vs persons, slight theft rise

The PNP chief also made a comparison to 2025 and 2024.

He continued: “If we were going to compare it to the same period last two years ago, that is the election period of 2025 as well as the period of 2024, which is January, February, March, April, was reduced a lot… We have a 30 percent reduction of crime.”

This, he said, is despite the efforts of the PNP during the 2025 elections, which had a larger funding.

The Safer Cities initiative mandated law enforcement to strictly observe local ordinances on public drinking, topless loitering, usage of karaoke, and curfew for minors.

READ: PNP: 11,676 violators apprehended on Safer Cities’ first day 

During the first week of application, a daily average of 9,751 violators were apprehended.

It faced flak within two weeks of implementation for alleged class discrimination after a resident in Mandaluyong City was fined P500 for not wearing a shirt while mixing cement for a home repair. /jpv