Labella to brgys: Enforce anti-noise ordinance

CEBU, Philippines -  Cebu City Councilor Edgardo Labella wants barangay officials to observe and enforce strictly the City’s anti-noise ordinance within their respective territories to spare people from excessive noise from sound systems even late in the evenings until the wee hours in the morning.

Labella said Cebu City Ordinance No. 309 regulates the operation of establishments to make them conform with the provisions of the law against excessive noise.

The Anti-Noise Ordinance of Cebu City prohibits and makes it unlawful for any person to “willfully cause loud and disturbing noise through, among other means, the uncontrolled operation of video karaoke sound systems and other similar sound-producing devices.”

The north district councilor said the regulated time is from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. The operators of establishments that engage in sound systems are required to install sound-reducing devices.

Labella observed that the enforcement of the said ordinance, which has been delegated to the barangay authorities, is not strictly implemented so several residents have complained at City Hall.

According to Labella, his office received numerous complaints about the loud and disturbing noise caused by the uncontrolled and unregulated operation of sound systems at night clubs and karaoke bars in the Kamagayan area, Pelaez and Sanciangko Streets and Osmeña Boulevard near Land Bank.

He said the failure of the barangay officials to implement the ordinance affected students and workers residing in the dormitories, lodging and boarding houses.

In his proposed resolution that is scheduled to be discussed during the City Council’s session on Wednesday, Labella is seeking the support of his fellow city legislators to request the barangay officials to strictly implement what is provided for by the ordinance.

The procedure is that those who wish to operate sound-producing devices should see to it that their equipment shall not disturb the public, particularly late at nights. –JPM  (FREEMAN)