Legazpi bans daytime karaoke, videoke gigs

LEGAZPI CITY --- Due to the mounting complaints from students, parents, and teachers for disturbing their online classes, the city government here has banned the operations of karaoke and videoke machines from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Saturday.

Through a public advisory issued on Wednesday, Oct. 21, Mayor Noel Rosal ordered videoke operators and karaoke owners to stop singing sessions from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM or while students, assisted by their parents, are holding online classes or answering their learning modules.

“We have to intervene because the students, parents and teachers are complaining that loud videoke or karaoke singing sprees are affecting their online classes or while they are answering modules during daytime,” Rosal said.

Several weeks after the online classes started in the elementary, secondary and tertiary levels here, complaints have already reached barangay authorities that loud singing sessions in videoke bars, or even in residences have distracted the learning sessions.

Meanwhile, a city ordinance that is also aimed at regulating the use of videoke machines has been passed on first reading by the city council.

Councilor Al Barizo, chairman of the Committee on Public Order and Safety, said he sponsored the ordinance due to pressing complaints by parents that their children’s online class activities are being disturbed by loud singing in their neighborhood.

He said the ordinance would not only ban karaoke singing from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM but also from 10:00 PM until 4:00 PM the next day.

“We will pass this ordinance next week because we want to ensure uninterrupted learning of our students during their online class activities,” Barizo said.

He said this ordinance would reinforce the advisory issued by Rosal that is now being implemented.

Barizo added that it has a penal clause that would fine violators, and a percentage of the collected amount would go to the barangay.

“With this scheme of giving share of the fine to the barangay, we see active enforcement of this karaoke singing ban in the barangay level,” he said. (PNA)