BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO City – To enhance the proficiency of its personnel in noise monitoring and enforcement, the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) held a two-hour practical training session focused on the adept handling of decibel meters.
ICPO director Police Colonel Joeresty Coronica emphasized the critical role of the training in strengthening the police’s enforcement of noise regulations of the city government.
The city has an ordinance against loud and noisy modified mufflers – Regulation Ordinance No. 2017-087 which amended the original muffler regulation, Regulation Ordinance No. 2017-071. Its goal is to reduce noise pollution from vehicles with modified mufflers.
The training, conducted by the Capacity Assessment and Resource Management Unit (CARMU) in collaboration with the Human Resource and Doctrine Development (HRDD) section, aimed to arm 44 policemen with the necessary expertise for effective decibel meter utilization.
On April 11, the session began at 9 a.m. at the ICPO Grounds. Under the guidance of retired Senior Police Officer 1 Rolando Hollero, participants learned how to operate and calibrate decibel meters.
Police Lieutenant Rene Aguinaldo, the assistant chief of the Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU), provided additional support during the session.
Following theoretical instruction, attendees, accompanied by Iloilo City Traffic Management Unit (ICTMU) personnel, ventured to Lapuz district for a practical exercise. There, they executed anti-muffler operations and employed decibel meters to monitor and control noise levels.
Last year, the city council introduced amendments to the original anti-muffler ordinance to give it more teeth.
The amendments included lowering the maximum decibel allowed for sound emitted from the muffler of a motorcycle from 115 decibels to 99 decibels at an engine speed of 2,000 to 2,500 revolutions per minute (RPM).
A stiffer penalty also awaits violators. Modified muffler or exhaust pipe can be confiscated for the first, second and third offenses.
There’s monetary fine, too – P1,000 (first offense); P2,000 (second offense); and P3,000 (third offense)./PN
