ILOILO City – Regulation Ordinance No. 2016- 230, which amended Regulation Ordinance No. 2011-676 (Curfew on Minors), set the curfew hours from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Its enforcement will continue despite the many Dinagyang Festival activities that stretch late into the night, said Nestor Canong, head of the city government’s Task Force on Morals and Values Formation.
Minors (those below 18 years old) are prohibited from loitering beyond 10 p.m. in restaurants, nightclubs, motels, dancehalls, amusement places such as internet cafes, video arcades, karaoke bars, billiard halls, beach resorts and other similar establishments.
The ordinance holds parents or guardians of the erring minors liable. They may be imprisoned from 30 days to six months.
“So far, so good,” said Canong.
The curfew was instituted a few years back to address the surge in late night ruckuses that usually involved minors.
According to Canong, although most of the rehearsals of school-based Dinagyang Festival ati tribes were conducted late at night downtown, the students were accompanied by their principals, teachers, trainers, and even parents and guardians.
But Canong’s task force is not leaving anything to chance. He said his people are keeping an eye on secluded places like “kanto-kanto” for the possible presence of gangs and groups to deter trouble.
The task force is augmented by the Iloilo City Police Office and other force multipliers such as social workers in implementing the curfew ordinance.
“Napanawagan naton sa aton mga ginikanan, palihog remind sa aton mga kabataan. Ginahatagan naton ligwa nga makaliwa-liwa man sila ilabi na gid kon upod kamo pero palihog lang pabalo sa ila nga ang curfew hours for minors aton gihapon ipatuman sa sining Dinagyang,” Canong stressed./PN
