ILOILO City – The streets of this city may not be packed with revelers for this year’s edition of Dinagyang because the annual festival’s Ati tribes competition would be staged “virtually” – pre-recorded and streamed on Facebook – on Jan. 23.
But the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) is not leaving the metro’s peace and order to chance. The streets would still be crawling with cops.
Iloilo City is under pandemic Alert Level 3; the cops would be ensuring that pandemic-related rules and regulations are implemented such as the curfew for minors and the health protocols such as the wearing of facemask and physical distancing, said Police Major Shella Mae Sangrines, ICPO spokesperson.
But the ICPO won’t be seeking personnel augmentation from the regional police office.
“We have enough men. We will use our organic personnel in every station to secure the public,” Sangrines said.
She pointed out that lots of minors do not follow the curfew and health protocols.
“Kun indi nila pag-i-observe, we will jail them. So I am warning the minors: limit your roaming around especially at night,” Sangrines said.
She added: “We are also warning the public. There’s a Commission of Elections gun ban. Do not bring guns and deadly weapons.”
The Dinagyang opening salvo was held Friday last week, Jan. 14. It was a sneak peek of the seven competing tribes whose prerecorded performances would be streamed on Facebook on Jan. 23.
According to Dr. Ronald Sebastian, president of the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI), the performances of the tribes would showcase the seven core values of the Ilonggos – Pagsinadya (Celebration), Pag-amliganay (Nurturing), Paghigugma (Love), Pagpahanggud (Growth, Development), Pagtilipon (Gathering), Paghirupay (Closeness), and Pag-intindihanay (Understanding)./PN
