ILOILO City – Dinagyang Festival may be a time for merrymaking but not for littering, loitering and smoking in public spaces. Concerned offices of the city government will be strictly enforcing the ordinances on curfew for minors, anti-smoking and littering.
Iñigo Garingalao, director of Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Taskforce (ICAST), said their personnel will be joined by force multipliers in enforcing the ordinance all throughout the Dinagyang celebration.
Aside from the 32 ICAST personnel, policemen are authorized to apprehend and issue citation tickets to violators.
The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) had not bagged the Red Orchid Award twice for nothing, said Garingalao.
The Red Orchid is an award given by the Department of Health (DOH) to local government units, government offices, government hospitals, and DOH centers that are 100 percent tobacco-free.
“Kabalo na sila manakop. Don’t expect nga ICAST lang manakop,” Garingalao said.
Aside from the city police, all augmenting police officers from other provinces in Western Visayas are also enjoined to reprimand smokers in public places. They can also refer the violators to city policemen authorized to issue citation tickets.
“Ang advise naton sa mga smokers and vapers, para nga continuous ang inyo nga kasadya, ibilin niyo na lang na ang vape niyo kag sigarilyo sa inyo salakyan or balay,” the ICAST chief added.
He noted that as early as two weeks before the Dinagyang, the ICAST has been doing orientation and information dissemination to all stakeholders to include organizers of food festivals and other events and even with the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) to enjoin all participating establishments in the campaign against anti-smoking by putting “No Smoking” signages in their respective premises.
“Indi niyo pwede mahimo rason nga wala kamo kabalo kay 12 years na ang ordinansa. Kon magkadto kamo di sa Iloilo, assume niyo na ‘na ‘ya nga kon mag-vape kag magpanigarilyo kamo, dakpon gid kamo,” Garingalao said.
Under the Anti-Smoking/Vaping Ordinance, those caught smoking in public places will face a monetary penalty of P1,500 for the first offense; P2,000 for the second offense; and P5,000 for the third offense.
Violators who refuse to pay the fine faces legal consequences.
Meanwhile, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) will also strictly implement the Anti-Littering Ordinance or Regulation Ordinance 2004-149 which penalizes any person caught littering on the streets, sidewalks, and other public places; urinating, defecating or spitting in public places; painting or posting graffiti and vandalism or any public and private places; and failure to maintain cleanliness of premises and surroundings.
CENRO head Neil Ravena said they will deploy two teams. The first team will be composed of 10 enforcers who will apprehend those who will litter and especially urinating everywhere.
The second team, meantime, is composed of 12 members whose task is to conduct education and information campaign on kiosk owners and street vendors and other establishments about proper disposal of their wastes.
“May mga designated na sila nga mga collection points and we have also waste bins sa mga areas sa downtown to mitigate impact sang celebration para indi matam-an ang aton mga street sweepers,” said Ravena.
He noted that they have existing 80 waste bins across the city, mostly in the City Proper, and 80 portalets or portable toilets for male and female to mitigate the issue on urinating anywhere.
The portalets are on top of the built-in toilets at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand and other facilities of the city.
Ravena said for every judging area, they will have 10 street sweepers and there will be personnel to maintain the cleanliness of the portalets.
He reminded would-be violators of the anti-littering ordinance that the penalty includes P500 for first offense; P1,000 for the second offense; and P1,500 for the third offense.
Ravena further noted that his office has prepared a solid waste management plan for Jan. 23, a day after the Dinagyang celebrations.
A total of 14 trucks, including the 10 trucks of the city’s waste disposal contractor, are ready to collect the garbage.
He said there will be designated collection points and 90 sweepers will be deployed to clean up the streets after the festival, apart from those who will augment from other districts.
On the other hand, the Curfew for Minors Ordinance will be strictly imposed, too.
The curfew time for minors starts from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
According to Police Captain Julieta Sequio, spokesperson of the Site Task Group Dinagyang, minors accompanied by their guardians or parents during the festival will be allowed.
Those who have no guardians or parents will be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 6 for proper intervention, Sequio said./PN
