Manilenyos happy with enactment of anti-noise ordinance

NO TO NOISE. Officials and personnel from the MTPB, MPD, and the Manila Barangay Bureau made the rounds of different barangays in Manila announcing the strict implementation of Ordinance 8688 on Friday (Oct. 9, 2020). The ordinance bans the use of videoke, karaoke, and other sound-producing devices from Monday to Saturday. (Photo grabbed from Manila PIO FB page via PNA)

MANILA – Residents here, who have long endured neighbors acting as “rockstar singers” for years in videoke or karaoke sessions, can now have a sigh of relief following the enactment of an ordinance regulating this form of leisure.

“Buti na lang po nagpasa kayo ng ganyang ordinance, dahil dito po sa amin may frustrated rocker na kung magpatugtog akala mo buong community nakikinig sa tugtog niya (It’s good that you passed such an ordinance because we have a ‘frustrated rockstar’ neighbor that plays music as if the whole community is his audience),” said Rhea S. Ferrer in her post.

Bethsaida Santiago, meanwhile, thanked the city government as the ordinance not only bans videokes and karaokes but other noise-producing devices as well.

“Taon na po kmi nagtitiis sa ingay dito sa lugar nmin sa Yangco street. Sana po maaksyunan na para sa ikatatahimik at sa kapakanan ng mga student at mga nagtatrabaho sa bahay, salamat (for years we have been suffering from the noise coming from our neighbor here in Yangco St. I hope they too will be prohibited so we could have a peaceful community for the sake of our students and those working from home. Thank you),” she said.

She said she is not complaining about neighbors singing in videokes but those whose business produces much noise and that they have been suffering for years now.

On Friday, officials and personnel from the Manila Police District (MPD), Manila Barangay Bureau, and the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB) made the rounds of different barangays in Manila, announcing the strict implementation of Ordinance 8688, which “prohibits the use of karaokes, videokes and other sound-producing devices which tend to disturb the community from Monday to Saturday” in the city from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and metes penalties for violators.

Domagoso ordered the rounds to remind Manila residents that they will be slapped with penalties if they violate the ordinance.

The measure comes as classes through blended learning started on Monday, which means students and teachers are staying in their homes and attend classes online.

”Pagpapaalala sa mga barangay tungkol sa Ordinance No. 8688 — pagbabawal sa videoke, karaoke at iba pang “sound-producing devices” na nakakaabala sa ating mga komunidad ngayong may online classes (This is to remind our barangays about Ordinance 8688 – prohibiting the use of videokes, karaokes and other sound-producing devices that disturbs the communities now that there are the online classes,” Domagoso said in his post.

The Philippine National Police earlier urged the public to report to local officials those who create unnecessary noise that disrupts online classes and modular learning of students in their homes.