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Sunday, January 08, 2006
Arroyo to grace Dinagyang Festival 2006
By Lory Ann B. Bilbao and Adora Bandorio
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will attend Dinagyang Festival 2006, according to Mayor Jerry P. Treñas Friday.
He said Arroyo will arrive on January 28.
Those who will join her are her cabinet members; Senators Edgardo Angara, Jamby Madrigal and Francis Pangilinan; and Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Edmund Salas.
Ambassadors from Israel, Nigeria, and Sweden and a representative of the Chief of Frauds Commission of the United States are among the many VIPs who have confirmed their presence in the festival.
Security up
"Our policemen are ready. The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) is aided with the augmentation from the Police Regional Office."
Strict implementation
Meanwhile, Treñas ordered concerned City Government offices to step up the campaign against jaywalking, smoking, and littering as the festival draws near.
Treñas said the campaign is in support of the Dinagyang-related project of the City Government dubbed "Iloilo Squeaks for Dinagyang" which aims to prepare the metropolis in welcoming visitors to the world-renowned religious and cultural festivity.
Dinagyang executive committee chair Ben Jimena said in an earlier interview that the project's objectives are to effect a makeover of the city's physical state especially its main thoroughfares for the 2006 Dinagyang Festival, instill discipline among pedestrians and motorists in order to improve the traffic situation, and to involve various agencies or groups in the clean-up drive.
Treñas said Ordinance 309, the city's anti-jaywalking fiat, penalizes jaywalkers who cross from one sidewalk to another along the streets of Iloilo City without using pedestrian lanes with a fine of P50.00 and/or imprisonment of not more than one day.
On the other hand, he pointed out that Ordinance 2002-225 prohibits smoking in all establishments, such as malls, restaurants, movie houses, disco houses, hospitals, hotel lobbies including restrooms and lavatories, school rooms and buildings, gasoline stations, all government offices or buildings and private offices offering services to the general public.
Smoking is likewise banned in all public conveyances or means of transportation, such as buses, passenger jeepneys, taxicabs, tricycles and trisikads operating within the jurisdiction of the City of Iloilo. Violations are punishable by a fine of P300.00 or imprisonment of not more than 5 days or both fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court. Establishments where the violations occurred are likewise liable for hefty penalties.
The anti-littering ordinance (Ordinance 26 of 1963), Treñas added, penalizes persons caught littering in streets, throwing trash in any waterway, spitting in the floors of places for public assembly, or urinating in public with a fine of P200.
Task forces have already been directed to monitor violations and to implement the ordinances, he stressed.
The mayor said the agencies that will implement the Iloilo Squeaks for Dinagyang are Task Force Clean and Green, Solid Waste Management Board, Iloilo Business Club, Iloilo City Public and Private Schools, Sangguniang Kabataan, Association of Barangay Captains, City Beautification Drive, and other city departments.
Treñas, who presided over the launching of "Iloilo Squeaks for Dinagyang", also called on all Ilonggos to cooperate with those implementing the project, saying that a clean city is not just the pride of City Government officials but also of all residents.
Controversial judging area
Meanwhile, IDFI Executive Director Ben Jimena continued to ask for consideration from the Sta. Teresita Parish Council to allow them to use the Quezon-De Leon area, where the church is located, as judging area.
This, after the council complained that the festival will disrupt the Sunday masses there.
Jimena told the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps (ICHPC) Friday, if Fr. Rex Akino and the other members of the parish asked for consideration of performing its tradition every Sunday, so Jimena said he is asking the same too.
He said this consideration is "serving a greater number of people. What will be held in the area is a community celebration. What we are asking from them is to consider us for just one Sunday of the year," Jimena said.
He added that the he will be meeting the pastoral council members Tuesday next week and will try to come up with solutions just to make the plan happen.
Jimena said the foundation is doing its best to strike a deal.
He said he will be forwarding a letter to the council where he will be explaining the foundation's side.
Jimena said that if the council and the foundation do not come up with a solution, Mayor Treñas will have to come to the picture and decide on the legal aspect of the disagreement.
"We ask for a one day leeway. Tradition can be modified for the good of the majority," he said.
He said given they would not permit the proposal, the foundation's Plan B would be to stage the competition in the same area, causing the same disturbance the parish wanted to avoid.
The Parochial Council Friday sent its first resolution this year to the office of the IDFI resolving that representations be made with the Mayor and the IDFI to reconsider the plan to designate the corner of Quezon and J. De Leon Streets as a staging area of the Dinagyang.
The church, it stated, is situated at the corner of the said streets and staging Dinagyang in the area will disturb the solemnity of the masses because of the noise the festivities will create.
"Every Sunday, masses are celebrated at the Church at 5 ,6:30, 8 and 11 a.m. and at 4:30, 6 and 7 p.m. Making the corner of the streets a staging area will prevent the faithful from attending mass because the area will be closed to traffic," the resolution states.
Lucena Amalay-Parish Apostolic Council chairman, Trinidad Golez, Parish Finance Council chairman, Arsenio L. Del Rosario, Parish Pastoral Council chairman, Rev. Father Antonio Anino, parish priest and Rev. Fr. Rex V. Jiloca, parochial vicar signed the resolution Thursday. It was unanimously approved.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas was a no show in the City Hall Friday and was not reached for comment.
(January 7, 2006 issue)
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