AN ORDINANCE regulating amusement rides in Iloilo City was approved by the City Council on its first reading.

On Saturday, January 26, a mother and child fell while riding a Ferris wheel in an amusement park located at the Gaisano Capital Iloilo City Center Mall.

The incident caught the attention of Councilor Plaridel Nava wherein, amusement rides in the city lacks regulatory ordinance to prevent similar accident to occur again.

Nava raised the proposed ordinance for the lead departments to employ proper actions and sanctions regarding the matter.

The Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) is the lead department to impose the ordinance together with the City Engineer’s Office to ensure the parameters and create prescribed terms for the amusement rides.

Nava stressed that PSTMO only conducted an inspection and was unable to provide penal and administrative sanction due to the lack of regulatory legislation to be followed.

“So this time, we’ll cure it,” Nava said.

Coverage of the ordinance includes the private-owned areas since they cater public customers, he added.

“Too late man ining akon (my) action but at least, this is a wakeup call for us nga kung wala matabu ang insidente(without the occurrence of the incident), wala gid kami idea nga for so long time, wala gali sang regulatory ordinance dira,’ he said. (Carolyn Jane Abello)