BACOLOD City – Network services from all telecommunication companies will be temporarily shut down in several areas in this city during the three-day highlights of the 40th Ruby MassKara Festival.
In its advisory, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) said it ordered the two major
telecommunication companies – Smart and Globe – to cut off all mobile phone services on Oct. 25, 26 and 27. “Security purposes” was cited as the reason for the planned shutdown.
Explaining the phone signal jamming, NTC said terrorists could detonate improvised explosives devices using cell phone signals.
“There shall be no signal direct and or reflected, coming from any cell site within one kilometer radius from the center of the event venue,” said NTC commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba.
The signal jamming would affect calls, text messaging and mobile data in 6th to 24th Lacson Street at the Lacson Tourism Strip during the electric masskara from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday.
Several areas in Lizares-Araneta Streets to Bacolod Public Plaza will also be affected by the signal shutdown during the street and arena dance competitions from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
In the previous staging of MassKara, cell phone signal jamming was also observed in a bid to secure the safety of revelers joining the festivity./PN
