‘KEEP ROADS OPEN’: PSTMO warns public against closing streets on New Year’s Eve

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

The Iloilo City Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) warned the public to keep city roads “open” and free from gatherings or activities during the New Year’s Eve celebration.

“Indi naton pag-isira ang karsada kay amo gid na ang ginaubra naton gina-close naton every New Year’s Eve,” PSTMO head Jeck Conlu said on Monday.

Conlu said that some Ilonggos are fond of celebrating New Year’s Eve on city roads and sidewalks to the point of closing thoroughfares and installing sound systems.

Last year, Conlu said they monitored and reprimanded 11 barangays in the city for using city roads during New Year.

“Although damo kita barangay roads, labyan gid na sang patrol naton ang mga national roads para mapasiguro nga open ang karsada especially ang major roads,” he warned.

Conlu said their respective teams will patrol in the different barangays in the city to monitor the use of city roads especially the main thoroughfares.

Meanwhile, Mayor Jerry Treñas also cautioned residents on Monday that the city government will apprehend violators who will not follow the designated fireworks zones in the city.

“May instruction ang kapulisan nga ang nagabaligya kag nagapalupok sa indi firecrackers zone dakpon,” he warned.

According to the mayor, the city government designated the firecrackers zones in all the district and public plazas in the city.

“Ang akon instruction kon magpalupok sa indi designated areas isawayon kag dal-on sa mga firecracker zones,” he said.

Conlu said they leave to the barangay officials the responsibility to designate the respective firecracker zones in the barangays.

“Ang importante it should be 100 meters away from the residential area,” he stressed.

As of December 29, 2019, the city recorded zero firecracker-related incidents in the city.

Conlu said they hope to sustain the record as the city government targets to achieve the zero firecracker-related mark for this year.

“As per instruction ni mayor, nagalibot na kita sa barangay together with the other stakeholders kag ginaremind ang pumuluyo nga bawal magpalupok sa residential area. Last two years, may ginpapreso kita,” he said.