Buntings banned in Mandaue fiesta

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City government will celebrate the upcoming feast day of St. Joseph, the city's patron saint, without installing horizontal buntings with lights and flaglets.

City Councilor Cynthia Cinco-Remedio, who is the chairperson of the committee on tourism, wants to amend Sections 3 and 5 of City Ordinance No. 12-2011-609, otherwise known as the prohibition of the use of buntings with lights and flaglets.

While the use of buntings draws interest and attention signifying the festive spirit, Remedio said the city also faces garbage disposal problem and possible impact to its drainage system.

Under the approved ordinance, all horizontal buntings with lights and flaglets in all kinds of establishments, either in public and private, are prohibited.

But the ordinance exempts the portion of the streets of Catalino Ouano, P.J. Burgos, Zamora and S.B. Cabahug streets especially in the areas surroundings the Mandaue City Hall and the National Shrine of St. Joseph.

Remedio, however, explained that a vertical pole will be installed along the sidewalks with corresponding permit from the Office of the Mayor.

Under the ordinance, the personnel of the city government will ensure that the horizontal buntings in such exempted areas will be removed no later than three days after the last day of the fiesta activities.

Meanwhile, Mayor Gabriel Luigi Quisumbing created an Executive Committee to lead the preparations for the 48th city's midyear Cultural Summit activities until the city's fiesta.

In his Executive Order No.6, the mayor has allocated P10 million for the use of the different cultural activities and another P2 million for the sporting events.

But the disbursement is still subject to all accounting and auditing rules and regulations, and approval of the city council, the mayor clarified.

Quisumbing said that "there is a need to appoint and create a committee that will focus and be responsible for the organizing (of activities) intimately related with their existing official functions and organizational concerns."

The city celebrates the feast day of St. Joseph, its patron saint, on May 8. —/GAN (FREEMAN)