Mayor Moreno bans daytime videoke, karaoke in Manila City
MANILA, Oct 8, 2020, PhilStar. Manila City is cracking down on excessive noise, citing complaints from parents whose children are learning from home amid the pandemic, The Philippine Star reported.
Following an ordinance issued by Mayor Isko Moreno, daytime videoke and karaoke is now banned in Manila City for most of the week.
“Under Ordinance No. 8688, Mayor @IskoMoreno said the use of karaoke and videoke machines as well as sound-producing devices which tend to disturb the community are prohibited from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Saturday,” the city’s public information office said on its Twitter account.
Manila City PIO said Moreno implemented the ban after receiving “complaints from parents of students whose online classes were disturbed by neighbors using karaoke machines.”
The ban also came shortly after the interior department and police leadership earlier this week urged local governments to enact ordinances prohibiting videoke and “other loud, distracting noises” during online classes as students adjust to blended learning which officially began Monday.
The ordinance imposes a fine of P1,000 to violators on their first offense, P2,000 on their second offense, and P3,000 for the third and succeeding offenses. “The Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon approval,” the document dated Oct. 8, 2020, reads.
Similar ordinances have been used in the past as basis to further intensify police presence in barangays, allowing police commanders to impose crackdowns and later, harsher penalties on violators. The same strategy was employed by the Joint Task Force COVID Shield after it encouraged local governments to craft ordinances banning alcohol, loitering and smoking among others.