From drinking sessions along the street to loud and late videoke, police forces will now be strict in enforcing “social order”—first in Metro Manila and later across the country— as the government seeks to make people feel the statistics on crime rate decline .

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said policemen are now tasked to ensure that all the existing ordinances of local government units against drinking in public places and the use of videoke beyond 10 p.m. are strictly enforced in every community in Metro Manila.

“Drinking along the streets are usually the cause of street fight and even sexual harassment but from now on, we will be prohibiting it. If you hold drinking sessions inside your residence, not a problem but if it’s in public places, you would be in trouble,” said Remulla.

He said the Philippine National Police (PNP) will also be strict in ensuring that the use of videoke is controlled and should not be allowed beyond the time stipulated in barangay, city or municipal ordinance.

In some cases, the abuse in the use of videoke is seen as the reason behind trouble among neighbors as users would usually belt out their favorite song even in the wee hours.

“Complainants can call 911 and expect that policemen will respond to make sure that the proper rules and regulations on the use of videoke in the community are properly enforced,” said Remulla.

“I understand that videoke is our favorite pastime but please, please let your neighbors sleep, especially the children,” he added.

And wait there’s more!

During a press briefing, Remulla said they will also strictly implement curfew for minors, explaining that streets are being turned into a haven for “rugby boys” and members of youth gangs.

“If you are not enrolled in school and jobless then go home. You will be prohibited to stay on the streets after 10 p.m.,” said Remulla.

The same level of strict enforcement will be implemented against men who love to roam around their community shirtless.

“If you don’t want to be in trouble, please wear even sandos because we will be running after those who roam around without shirts,” said Remulla.

Safer Cities

Such strict enforcement, along with the deployment of more policemen in transportation hubs and other places of convergence is part of the measure to maintain peace and order across the country, according to Remulla.

“Why are we doing this? Because the majority of the criminal activities happen in urban areas, it's time to make the people feel safer where they live,” said Remulla.

He said police visibility and active police response are necessary tools to drive away criminal elements and make people comfortable in their homes and as they walk the streets.

Tried and tested?

But the strict enforcement of ordinances in Metro Manila that is now being pursued by Remulla is not new as this was already implemented during the time of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

During the time of retired police Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar for instance as director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), the crime volume in Metro Manila went down by 60 percent due to aggressive implementation of city ordinances.

These ordinances cover drinking in public places, walking shirtless, curfew for minors, walking topless, littering, smoking in public and misuse of videoke.

When NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Anthony A. Aberiin took the helm of Metro Manila police leadership last year, one of his first initiatives was the implementation of city ordinances which resulted in the arrest and filing of charges against thousands of violators.

Aberin also reported that the strict enforcement of Metro Manila ordinances also resulted in the millions of pesos in fines that benefited the local government units in the National Capital Region.