LGUs told to enforce laws vs loud noises to avoid disrupting online classes

MANILA, Philippines — Local government units (LGUs) were urged to enforce laws against loud noises during daytime — from videoke use and muffler sounds, to animal sounds from chicken and dogs, up to quarreling couples — to avoid disrupting students’ online classes.

According to Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Martin Diño on Thursday, cities without regulations on unnecessary noise amid distance learning methods can pass ordinances like other LGUs have done so.

But he also noted that cities without such ordinances can invoke existing laws to penalize violators during daytime.

Diño explained in a radio interview with DZBB that LGUs can use Articles 26 and 682 of Republic Act No. 386 or the Civil Code of the Philippines, which talks about respecting the peace of neighbors and the entitlement of every land owner against nuisances like noise.

“Ang Makati nag pass na ordinance diyan since 2011 […] dito pinagbabawal ang loud videoke, amplifier pati ‘yong mga muffler ng  mga motorsiklo, tapos yung mga manok.  Inencourage namin na yung mga wala pa ay magpass ng ordinance immediately kasi nga yung mga bata na nag-aaral ngayon sa kanya kanyang lungsod at munisipyo,” Diño said.

“Ngayon gagawin natin buong barangay na kasi nga ang bahay ngayon ay yan ang paaralan at saka mga magulang natin ngayon naging teacher na sila […] importante na may katahimikan lalo na para makapag concentrate yung ating mga anak sa kanilang pag-aaral,” he added.

For couples that are quarreling too loud, the DILG official said they can be slapped with alarm and scandal complaints.  And for domestic animals, Diño said that they should be fed so that they would not create noises.

“Siguro kapag busog aso mo hindi mag iingay yan,” he noted.

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages, schools especially in COVID-19 hotspots were forced to switch to distance and blended learning modes where students would not need to physically attend classes to avoid localized transmissions.

However, several problems have come up, with a lot of students complaining about the lack of adequate gadgets and unstable internet connections.

Recently, parents noted that it has become hard for students to focus on online learning methods because of distractions like noise — which prompted LGUs to pass ordinances against daytime noise.

READ: Manila bans videoke, karaoke sessions from Monday to Saturday

JE