Malacañang believes that the government's "Safer Cities" initiative is not anti-poor, saying it is meant to protect every Filipino.

Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed observations that the policy implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is anti-poor and elitist.

Disciplining the youth, Castro stressed, is not anti-poor.

She also pointed out that the ordinances had been existing and the DILG is merely implementing them.

"Unang-una po ito’y matagal ng mga ordinansa. Pinapatupad lamang po ng DILG (First, these are long-standing ordinances. The DILG is simply enforcing them)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Friday, April 10.

"Hindi naman po ibig sabihin ng pagdidisiplina sa mga kabataan para mas maging safe sila at protected ay anti-poor na. Hindi po lahat ng pagdidisiplina ay sasabihing anti-poor, ito po ay para sa proteksiyon ng bawat Pilipino (Discipline for young people so they can be safer and better protected does not mean it is anti-poor. Not all forms of discipline should be labeled as anti-poor; this is for the protection of every Filipino)," Castro argued.

The Palace official, however, acknowledged the tendency for abuse of authority in the implementation. She thus called on the public to report such abuse.

"Sa lahat ng nang-aabuso, ngayon palamang po ay isumbong ninyo po agad para po maproteksyunan din ang mga inaabuso at mapanagot ang mga otoridad na nang-aabuso ng kanilang kapangyarihan (To all those who abuse their authority, report them immediately so that those who are being abused can be protected and so that authorities who misuse their power can be held accountable)," Castro said.

The Safe Cities drive include the strict enforcement of all the existing ordinances of local government units against drinking in public places, the use of videoke beyond 10 p.m., and curfew for minors.