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Enactment of Local Ordinances for Safer Cities : A Call to Action for Local Government Units

Background

The Safer Cities Initiative aims to enhance public safety by boosting police visibility and presence in high-density urban areas. To make Filipinos feel safer and to reduce crimes, it focuses on community policing, school security, and stricter enforcement of local ordinances against consumption of alcoholic beverages and being topless or half-naked in public places, excessive noise, and strict curfews for minors.

Role of LGUs

1. Strict Enforcement of Ordinances. LGUs are highly encouraged to support and contribute to the "safer cities" and safer barangays, municipalities, and provinces through strict enforcement of local ordinances against consumption of alcoholic beverages and being topless or half-naked in public places, regulation of the use of videoke machines and other amplified audio devices, and curfew for minors.

2. Enact and/or Strengthen Appropriate Ordinances. LGUs are highly encouraged to enact or strengthen existing ordinances on the following:

• Ban against drinking liquor and intoxicating beverages in public places;

• Prohibition against going about topless or half-naked in public places;

• Regulating noise and prohibiting excessive, unnecessary, and unusually loud sounds in residential and public areas, such as those coming from videoke machines and other amplified audio devices, among others. LGUs are highly advised to allow the use of such machines and devices from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM only.

• Institution of curfew hours for minors, specifically loitering and roaming around on public roads, consistent with applicable laws, jurisprudence, and child protection policies.

Safer School Zones (SSZ) Under the Safer Cities and Safer Communities Initiatives

Background

The Safer School Zones (SSZ) under the Safer Cities and Safer Communities Initiative aims to strengthen public safety measures in areas surrounding schools and along routes commonly used by learners, parents, guardians, and school personnel. The Circular provides practical guidance on the roles, coordination mechanisms, and operational boundaries of barangay tanods in school zones, particularly in maintaining visible presence, assisting in safe movement, reporting hazards and incidents, and referring urgent concerns to proper authorities. It also introduces the S.A.F.E.R. School Zones Framework and requires term-based reporting beginning School Year 2026–2027 to support monitoring and coordination among barangays, LGUs, DILG field offices, and concerned agencies.

Role of LGUs

Punong Barangay

• Lead the implementation of the Safer School Zones policy in the barangay.

• Ensure that all schools within the barangay are covered by barangay tanod visibility arrangements.

• Approve the barangay tanod deployment schedule.

• Ensure immediate referral of incidents to proper authorities.

• Submit the barangay term report to the Office of the Mayor, copy furnished the C/MLGOO or DILG City Director.

Chief Tanod / Executive Officer

• Prepare and regularly update the barangay tanod deployment schedule.

• Conduct briefing sessions for barangay tanods on their duties, limits, and referral procedures.

• Collect deployment logs and incident observations.

• Consolidate observations and recurring hotspots.

• Prepare the term-based report for approval of the Punong Barangay.

Barangay Tanods

• Maintain visible and orderly presence in assigned school zones.

• Assist in safe pedestrian movement and orderly use of public spaces.

• Observe and record hazards, incidents, and recurring concerns.

• Immediately report urgent concerns to the Chief Tanod, Punong Barangay, and proper authorities.

• Avoid actions outside their mandate, such as investigation, custodial handling, use of firearms, specialized response, or entry into school premises without proper school coordination.

Sangguniang Barangay

• Enact or pass appropriate local measures to support school zone safety.

• Provide budgetary support, peace and order planning, and coordination with schools and concerned offices.

Sangguniang Kabataan

• Support learner and youth safety activities.

• Help in information dissemination and youth participation in non-enforcement activities.

City/Municipal Mayors

• Ensure timely submission of reports from barangays.

• Act on reports submitted by barangays, especially concerns in the term-based reports.

• Provide support through coordination mechanisms, road safety measures, traffic management, disaster risk reduction and management, social welfare referral, animal control or veterinary services, engineering support, lighting, and infrastructure interventions.

City/Municipal LGUs

• Support barangays in addressing safety concerns outside schools and along routes used by learners.

• Coordinate with concerned agencies and offices such as the PNP, BFP, C/MDRRMO, health office, social welfare office, school authorities, and animal control or veterinary office, when needed.

• Assist in consolidating and responding to identified school zone hotspots and recurring concerns.

References / Legal Bases

• MC 2026 - 037 Safer School Zones (SSZ) Under the Safer Cities and Safer Communities Initiative

• Unnumbered Memo 2026.04.16 Implementation of DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2026-029 Titled "Encouraging the Enactment of Local Ordinances for Safer Cities: A Call to Action for Local Government Units

• MC 2026 - 029 Encouraging The Enactment of Local Ordinances For Safer Cities : A Call To Action For Local Government Units

LGMED References

• R10-LGMED-2026-04-15-008 MESSAGE TO ALL PDS AND CDS RE: ENCOURAGING THE ENACTMENT OF LOCAL ORDINANCES FOR SAFER CITIES: A CALL TO ACTION FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS 

• R10-LGMED-2026-06-30-016 MESSAGE TO ALL PDS AND CDS RE: SAFER SCHOOL ZONES (SSZ) UNDER THE SAFER CITIES AND SAFER COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE