THE Barangay Handumanan Council in Bacolod City approved an ordinance that aims to penalize a person or group of persons who are involved in "tsismis" or gossip in the community.
The barangay council also approved to create a technical working group that will be in-charge with the conduct of investigation.
The ordinance, which was approved on September 10, stated that gossip or tsismis is a Filipino habit that has been one of the major causes of misunderstanding and fight in a community.
Gossip can start a fight between members of the community that can result in the mutilation or humiliation of a person's personality. It also affects not only the people involved, but also their families by extension.
The ordinance further stated that it would be the legal basis in providing due punishment and penalty to the person or people involved in order to stop the practice of wrongdoing or spreading gossip and hearsay.
Councilor Lady Gles Pallen, Liga nga mga Barangay president, said it still needs an approval of the City Council so that it can be implemented.
The ordinance was already forwarded to the City Council last week, but was not approved due to some clarifications from the councilors.
"There were tsismis that is good and bad so it still needs to be studied," Pallen said.
As a barangay official, she said 80 percent of the complaints in their barangay were unjust vexation complaints.