A CEBU City councilor wants to ban the playing of Pokemon Go, a popular online game, in all public areas, government offices and public schools in the city.
The location-based augmented reality game, Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr. said, can cause accidents on the city’s streets, disrupt day-to-day transactions in government offices, affect the performance of officials and employees, and distract students from their studies.
“Some users are playing the app from inside their vehicles, stopping suddenly. While pedestrians use the app, staring at device screens as they walk through busy cities without regard to their own safety, as well as to the safety of others,” he said.
Alcover lamented that roads, parks, plaza’s, government buildings, churches and private places, have been used as PokeStops, or areas to lure virtual creatures. This has affected the safe, peaceful and orderly atmosphere of the places.
In his two-page proposed ordinance, Alcover said no public official or employee of the City Government is allowed to play Pokemon Go while inside City Hall. No one is also allowed to play the game in public places.
Streets
It covers streets, ports, bridges, parks, plaza’s, government buildings as well as private places but are open to the public, such as churches and museums.
The proposed ordinance also seeks to prohibit the use of these places as PokeStops or lure spots. For the public schools, no one is also allowed to play Pokemon Go while inside the school’s premises.
“The Department of Education (DepEd) is urged to issue a memorandum to all Cebu City public schools banning the use of the Pokemon Go app,” the proposed ordinance said.
For minors who will violate the ordinance for the first time, Alcover proposed that the barangay captain sends a written warning to the parents or legal guardian.
To second offenders, a warning will be issued by the City Social Welfare Service and the barangay chairman concerned.
For the third offense, the parent or legal guardian, together with the child, will have to render a six-hour community service, which will be administered by the barangay captain or his representative.
For adult offenders, Alcover proposed a penalty of P1,000 for their first offense; P2,000 for the second offense; and P4,000 for the third.
If approved, the ordinance’s enforcement will be done by the Philippine National Police, Cebu City Traffic Office, the Civil Security Office of the City and DepEd 7.
Alcover filed his proposed legislation at the council last Sept. 6.
It was referred to the council’s committee on laws for review and recommendation. It will be subjected to a public hearing thereafter.