ILOILO City – Politicians would be allowed to speak during the two-day highlights of the Dinagyang Festival – at the Kasadyahan cultural contest on Jan. 26 and at the ati-ati tribes competition on Jan. 27.
But only “national politicians”, not local ones, said Mayor Jose Espinosa III.
“In my view, it’s open season for politicians. During lull moments between Dinagyang tribe performances, they can address the public,” said Espinosa.
Candidates for national elective posts this upcoming May 13 midterm elections are expected to make their presence felt during the festival.
Espinosa identified one of the keynote speakers to be senatorial candidate and former special assistant to the president Christopher “Bong” Go.
Go will represent President Rodrigo Duterte. He will be accompanied by Cabinet secretaries and undersecretaries.
“Isa siya sa aton (He is one of our) keynote speakers. Kon sin-o pa da (There are a lot more),” said Espinosa.
In previous Dinagyang editions, Espinosa said, lull moments sometimes stretched to 10 minutes.
“So if there are national candidates willing to address the audience, they will be allowed to do so,” he said.
Last year’s Dinagyang keynote speaker was Sen. Cynthia Villar. She is expected to again grace this year’s festival with Davao City mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte Carpio.
Espinosa also said he had no plan to order the removal of political streamers during the Dinagyang.
“Akusahan naman ko na nila karun (They could be accusing me of playing politics),” he said.
Espinosa said he would let the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. (IDFI) to decide on what to do with the political posters.
The mayor complained last month about how “politicking” was turning the city “unsightly,” referring to campaign streamers and posters spreading in the metro.
According to Espinsa, posters – especially political ones – were only allowed in privately owned places, not public spaces.
“I will give them (barangay captains) the chance to remove [the posters]…sila mismo [magpanguha] kay bal-an nila nga ilegal,” Espinosa said.
If push comes to shove, however, the city government itself would remove the streamers, said the mayor.
Liga ng mga Barangay city federation president Irene Ong then challenged Espinosa to be an example himself in the latter’s so-called campaign against the proliferation of pre-election campaign posters and streamers.
“Leadership by example…s’ya dapat una mangkakas sang iya tarpaulins,” said Ong.
Ong, however, said there was nothing wrong with displaying streamers in barangay halls.
“Wala sang violation…maski sa Commission on Elections (Comelec) rules and regulations (or) sa city ordinance wala,” Ong insisted.
Ong acknowledged, though, that a city ordinance prohibited the display of streamers and billboards in public plazas without the approval of the city government.
“Ang sa plaza nga mga billboards, ara gid ‘ya sa ordinansa…ti waay ‘ya man gani napangkakas…leadership by example,” said Ong.
According to the Comelec, the local government has power over illegally installed streamers, Espinosa claimed.
“Kon makita ta nga may resistance kag sobra-sobra, that will be the time nga ma-action na ta,” stressed the mayor.
The city has Ordinance 2013-330 which regulates the display of “any informational materials, any forms of announcement, may it be written or merely a picture, or may also be in the form of a banner, flag, ensign, or emblem causing for the public’s attention [sic].”
“It shall be unlawful to install streamers, billboards, advertisements, notices, signboards, and any form of informational materials and the like along city streets, public places or at any place of business within the City of Iloilo without a permit issued by the License and Permits Division Office of the City Mayor’s Office,” Section 5 of the ordinance stated.
Under Section 6, such materials must legibly show “the corresponding permit number, date of issuance and the name of the applicant as issued” by the same division office.
Violators may be fined P1,000 for every illegally installed streamer, billboard or advertisement, or imprisoned for two months, at the court’s discretion.
The City Engineer’s Office, through Task Force ASIS (Anti-Squatting and Illegal Structures), is authorized to remove such illegally displayed materials, stated the ordinance./PN
The good mayor allowing politician to speak during dinagyang. Tsk tsk tsk. Not a good idea mayor.
Lull time could be use to brief the audience of the next performing tribe. We are bragging of having guests from Japan and here you are wanting them to listen to plataporma puro porma.