IAM records 27% drop in public hygiene violations

[Photo: Lynzy Valles]

The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) recorded 9,013 violations of public hygiene regulations in the first nine months of 2026, a 27% decrease from the same period last year, marking the lowest total for the period since records began in 2020.

According to statistics published by the bureau, the number of violations fell from 12,306 in January-September 2025. September was the only month to record a year-on-year increase, with 84 more cases than a year earlier, mainly due to a rise in violations involving the improper placement or abandonment of materials and objects.

The most common offense was the abandonment of solid waste, accounting for 4,490 cases, down 33% year-on-year. Authorities also recorded 1,482 cases of materials or objects being placed or abandoned in public areas, a decrease of 7.14%.

There were 793 cases of spitting or the disposal of nasal mucus, down 52.2%, and 51 cases involving pet waste, a 43.3% decline. Meanwhile, 179 cases involved water dripping from air-conditioning units, up 49%, while 2,018 violations fell under the category of “other,” down 7.5%.

September recorded the second-highest monthly total so far this year, behind January, when 1,360 violations were recorded.

The bureau’s figures show a significant decline in annual violations, with 16,094 cases recorded in 2025, compared with 17,730 in 2024 and 19,461 in 2021.