ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines — At least two cities and one town in the Visayas have banned the use of “videoke” machines so as not to disturb students taking online classes and employees working from home.
The mayors of the cities of Iloilo and Cebu have issued separate orders to prohibit noise from households and business establishments, while in Pandan, Antique province, a similar directive was issued by the Pandan Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 last week.
Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas barred the use of video machines on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. to reduce disturbance of students attending online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vehicle owners were also urged to avoid blowing of horns and for establishments to minimize unnecessary noise during school hours.
“There is a need to find means and ways in order that the students could study well and could not be distracted during [their classes],” Treñas said in his order.Cebu Mayor Edgardo Labella prohibited karaoke sessions from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays after considering the situation of students and employees. The ban stays while the city is under a modified general community quarantine.
Fine, jail
Violators will be fined P5,000, or sentenced to a year in prison.
The Pandan Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 approved the ban on the use of videoke machines and “other sources of unnecessary sound/noise” that affect residents who are taking online classes or those working from home.
According to Pandan Vice Mayor Raymund Gumboc, the ban covers 34 villages in the town and was issued after the task force received complaints and representatives of a village sought permission to allow videoke sessions for their fiesta celebration.
It is also a health measure to prevent the spread of disease as videoke sessions involved the use of a shared microphone and close interaction and singing among residents, Gumboc said.
Pandan had recorded 10 COVID-19 cases as of Oct. 7 but all of the infected residents had already recovered.
—Reports from Nestor Burgos Jr. and Ador Vincent Mayol