Local News: Agencies Urged to Implement Anti-Vandalism Ordinance of 2011

Councilor Caesar Distrito has requested the Bacolod City Police Office, City Legal Office Enforcement Team, barangay officials and all enforcement agencies, to strictly implement City ordinance 534 Series of 2011, otherwise known as the Anti-vandalism Ordinance. 2011, otherwise known as the Anti-vandalism Ordinance.

During the regular session of the sangguniang panlung-sod on Wedensday, Distrito who is Chairman of the Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government, who authored the said ordinance emphasized that,

"It is frustrating to see the rampant violation of the ordinance and the violators are trying to make a mockery of our laws, and cause law enforcers ineffective in implementing it. The people complain that it is shameful on our part having been adjudged as the cleanest and greenest city, but then there are these rampant graffitis and vandalism in our streets. Also, it is

interesting to note that, every day when we pass along the streets, sidewalks and buildings, we can readily see lots of violation of the ordinance like graffiti on walls and pavements, defacing of statues, writing and making disgusting figures, however, these violations can also be seen by our law enforcers but they just pretend as if they cannot see these things.

Even the Bacolod City Government Center is not spared from this, because some areas in it were vandalized also," Distrito stressed.

The ordinance is supposed to protect us all from the indecent acts and the law enforcers in the City should do something more by pursuing a stringent implementation of this law, same with the barangay officials who are in the forefront of implementing the law at the grassroots level.

City Ordinance 534, Series of 2011 known as the Anti-Vandalism Ordinance of 2011 penalizes the act of Vandalism, defined as the willful act done that damage or deface the properties belonging to another person or to the public.

The thrust of the City Government of Bacolod to promote cleanliness and to stop the damaging and defacing acts committed by teenager and gangs with other youth groups or individuals that practice vandalism.

The barangays should strictly implement the City Ordinance in their jurisdictions to stop the proliferation of such act which are quite intolerable.

Also, many establishments in the downtown area of Bacolod City are complaining that their doors, walls and similar structures are being vandalized by youth gangs and continues until now even if there is already a City Ordinance that penalizes such commission on acts.

Therefore, Distrito reiterated his request to the enforcement agencies to strictly implement the anti-vandalism ordinance of 2011.*