BACOLOD City – A proposal to ban glass-bottled soda and beer and pointed barbecue sticks during major festivals in the city may no longer push through in time for MassKara.
Councilor Cindy Rojas said there is no enough time.
Last month, Rojas drafted the proposal which was prompted by a suggestion that Bacolod City Police Office head Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo made.
In August, Ebreo wrote a letter to Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran suggesting that vendors during MassKara must not be allowed to sell bottled soft drinks or beer and use pointed sticks.
Glass bottles and pointed sticks are sometimes used in stabbing incidents during the festival. Banning their use and sale will help ensure public safety, Ebreo stressed.
Instead of institutionalizing the policy, Rojas called for a meeting on Tuesday that gathered vendors in the city.
These vendors are the ones who will do business at the three festival sites – the public plaza, city hall and Tourism Strip on Lacson Street.
Rojas said they agreed not to use pointed sticks and vowed to collect and keep empty glass bottles in their areas.
The vendors also assured Rojas that they will work with security personnel assigned in their areas in case of untoward incidents./PN
