Tag: noise pollution

Muntinlupa City Government Reminds Public About Rules On Modified Mufflers And Pipes In Vehicles

Muntinlupa City Government Reminds Public About Rules On Modified Mufflers And Pipes In Vehicles

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Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, the City Government issued reminders to the public about the existing ban on the use of midwifed mufflers and pipes in vehicles, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. It is anticipated that noise will intensify in the city as the Christmas season goes on.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

The Muntinlupa City government has reminded the public about the ban on the use of modified mufflers and pipes in vehicles.

The notice came from the Muntinlupa Traffic Management Bureau (MTMB), which said that the ban is based on City Ordinance No. 04-022 or the Muntinlupa City Traffic Code.

This Christmas season, many motorists in Muntinlupa are expected to celebrate it by using modified mufflers and pipes in their vehicles to produce loud noise.

“Paalala mula sa Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Muntinlupa: Mahigpit na ipinagbabawal ang paggamit ng modified muffler/pipe at iba pang illegal modifications sa mga sasakyan alinsunod sa City Ordinance No. 04-022, Article XV Section 85 ng Muntinlupa City Traffic Code (Reminder from the Muntinlupa City Government: The use of modified muffler/pipe and other illegal modifications to vehicles is strictly prohibited pursuant to City Ordinance No. 04-022, Article XV Section 85 of the Muntinlupa City Traffic Code),” the MTMB posted on Facebook.

Section 85 of the ordinance on Mufflers and Noise Controlling Devices states that “no person shall operate a motor vehicle on a street unless such motor vehicle is equipped, at all times, with a muffler or mufflers in constant operation and of sufficient capacity for the motor, and equipped with an exhaust system to prevent the escape of excessive fumes or smoke and unusual noise.”

The MTMB warned that violators will face a fine of P2,000.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, do you have a problem with noise pollution intensifying in the city during the Christmas season? Do you think the current laws of city are tough enough towards noise makers?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Use and play of audio materials in Muntinlupa quiet zones restricted

Use and play of audio materials in Muntinlupa quiet zones restricted

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Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, Mayor Ruffy Biazon formally signed into law an ordinance that restricts the playing of audio materials in residential areas and other quiet zones within city jurisdiction, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Amid the election campaign, the Muntinlupa City government has passed an ordinance restricting the playing of audio materials through loudspeakers in residential areas and other quiet zones in the city.

Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon signed Ordinance No. 2025-330 (Quiet Zones Ordinance) passed by the Muntinlupa City Council which regulates “the use or playing of marketing or information campaign audio materials through loudspeakers, mixers, amplifiers, microphones, and other similar sound-producing systems and audio devices mounted on any roving manual, motor, or electric vehicle within designated quiet zones in the City of Muntinlupa, prescribing allowable hours for use, imposing penalties for violations, and for other purposes.“

One of the bases for the ordinance is a memorandum from the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued in January, with the subject “Highly Encouraging Local Government Units (LGUS) to Address Public Nuisance and Noise Pollution.”

“The City Government of Muntinlupa recognizes the need to regulate excessive, unnecessary, or unusually loud sound from mobile sound systems and audio devices that exceed acceptable levels and extend beyond the allowable time period, particularly within residential areas and designated quiet zones,” according to the ordinance.

It added that “there has been a clamor from the public against excessive, unnecessary, or unusually loud sound from mobile sound systems and audio devices that exceed acceptable levels, contribute to noise pollution and disrupt the peace in communities.”

The ordinance covers “all individuals, groups, and organizations within Muntinlupa City who use or play marketing or information campaign audio materials through loudspeakers, amplifiers, microphones, or similar audio devices mounted on roving manual, motor, or electric vehicles (EV).”

“Violators include, but are not limited to, vehicle operators, information campaign promoters, and initiators. If marketing or information campaign audio materials are played through sponsorship, the sponsor, benefactor, donor, vehicle operator, and driver shall also be liable for the penalties herein,” according to the local law.

Under the ordinance, the quiet zones in Muntinlupa are residential areas, places of worship, schools, hospitals and health centers, secondary roads, and inner roads.

The playing of marketing or information campaign audio materials with roving or mobile vehicles in residential areas is allowed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Friday to Saturday.

The use of campaign audio materials is prohibited within 100 meters of places of worship, schools, hospitals and health centers at all times.

In Muntinlupa’s secondary and inner roads, the playing of the marketing or information campaign materials is allowed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Friday to Saturday.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, do you approve of the newest ordinance related to noise in quiet zones?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Muntinlupa approves ordinance to ban weekday karaoke and other distracting noises during online classes

Muntinlupa approves ordinance to ban weekday karaoke and other distracting noises during online classes

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In a bid to assist students and teachers during synchronous classes, including employees on a work-from-home set-up, the City Government of Muntinlupa is banning the use of videoke and other activities that create unnecessary noise disturbing residents in their study time and work at home.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi signed City Ordinance 2020-142 regulating the use of karaokes, videokes, and other similar equipment causing noise pollution in the community during weekdays and limiting its use and operation on weekends.

Fresnedi said the City Government recognizes the challenges of city residents in adjusting to distance and blended learning, as well as the working public, and how loud noises can distract them from concentrating on their activities.

Under the local ordinance, the use of karaokes, videokes, and other sound-making devices will only be allowed from 6:00am to 10:00pm during Saturdays and to 6:00am to 8:00pm during Sundays.

However, public announcements made by local and national government agencies using sound-producing machines/devices are exempted from the implementation of the ordinance. Residents who will violate the ordinance shall be penalized with a fine from P2,000.00 to P5,000.00 or imprisonment of not more than thirty (30) days, or both.

Members of the Philippine National Police-Muntinlupa, Public Order and Security Office, City Security Office, Barangay Chairpersons and their personnel are set to augment monitoring and roving operations in the community to implement the regulation on videokes and other noise-making devices.

Recently, the City Government of Muntinlupa provided the first batch of 2,557 laptops and 28 photocopiers for public school teachers in a bid to help them adapt to distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

All Muntinlupa public school teachers in elementary, junior and senior high schools, including school heads, will each receive a brand new laptop with specifications prescribed by the Department of Education. Students who are in need will also receive tablets to help them access online learning resources.

Further, the Muntinlupa City Council also passed an ordinance imposing relaxed curfew hours in the city from 12:00 AM to 4:00 AM until November 30 and 12:00 AM to 3:00 AM beginning December 1 during the Community Quarantine.

The City Council also approved the easing of age-based stay-at-home restrictions allowing persons who are at least 18 and not over 65 years old in Muntinlupa to go out of their residence unless expressly prohibited under the national and local issuances.

As of October 26, Muntinlupa City has 4,609 confirmed cases with 4,390 recoveries, 69 active cases, 150 reported deaths, 114 suspect cases, and 403 probable cases.

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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NOT to distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, engagements, commerce and updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Parañaque still has no ordinance to legitimize electric vehicles for public transportation

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On display at the grounds of Parañaque City Hall was this large solar-powered electric tricycle (e-trike). The irony is that Parañaque itself has no law to legitimize electric vehicles for public transportation.

The love and care for the natural environment is often present in the minds of people who manage the city government. Really nobody wants to live in a city filled with scattered garbage, lots of air pollution and poor drainage.

An extension of the care for the environment is the focus on the use of electric vehicles which generate much less noise and much less air pollution. Here in the Southern portion of Metro Manila, the cities of Muntinlupa and Las Pinas respectively have laws that legitimized the use of electric vehicles for public transportation purposes.

This means that commuters can choose to ride a jeepney or a tricycle that runs on electric power whenever they are available in public. When they do ride an e-vehicle, there is much less noise and air pollution created by their ride. Potentially more e-vehicles replacing those gasoline/diesel-burning vehicles can bring down air pollution and improve the quality of air in the city.

Recently the Department of Energy (DOE) donated 150 electric tricycle units to the City of Muntinlupa and 100 electric tricycle units to the City of Las Pinas (which subsequently turned them over to local tricycle operators).

As for the nearby City of Parañaque……ZERO!

Considering the huge population of Parañaque and the City Government’s strong advocacy of environmental care and city cleanliness under the leadership of incumbent mayor Edwin Olivarez, it is weird that nothing has been done to legitimize the use of e-vehicles for public transportation.

I was at Parañaque City Hall on January 23 and during my visit I checked thoroughly with officials there to verify if there is any existing law (or city ordinance) that would make public transportation with electric vehicles happen.

As it turned out, officials confirmed to me that no such ordinance has been approved until now.

What is even more disturbing, as I kept on digging for answers, was the confirmation that there is not even a draft proposal submitted for legislation!

For as long as no city ordinance has been approved to legalize the use of e-vehicles for public transportation, Parañaque’s streets (including those inside villages) will be occupied by fossil fuel-guzzling jeepneys, buses and tricycles that are not only making the air dirty but also remain noisy and even unsafe and uncomfortable (due to outdated vehicular designs) for commuters to ride.

This also means that no village administrator can just establish and fully operate its own line of electric tricycles within the city. Back in 2016 in BF Homes, the BF Federation of Homeowner Associations, Inc. (BFFHAI) launched its line of electric tricycles with mayor Olivarez and vice mayor Rico Golez as special guests. Because they were in Parañaque (which has a huge jurisdiction of BF Homes subdivision) and there was no ordinance to legalize the use of electric vehicles for public transportation within the city, the BFFHAI’s e-trikes were not accepted by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and they were not fully operated. As such, those electric tricycles got wasted and was limited to being parked at the side of the BF Homes clubhouse along Elsie Gatches street. Because pictures of those parked electric tricycles became public viewed, the federation quietly had them removed.

Until now Parañaque remains behind Muntinlupa and Las Pinas when it comes to using technology to improve public transportation and reducing air and noise pollution at the same time. For the past few years, Muntinlupa has electric jeepneys on public roads and some electric tricycles serving villagers. In Las Pinas, the number of electric tricycles serving local communities is slowly growing which is the result of their City Council and Mayor approving the “E-trike Ordinance” (City Ordinance Number 1536-18, Series of 2018) on May 28, 2018. Back to Parañaque, no legislation means no progressive change will happen.

It is notable that Parañaque lost its edge when it comes to city competitiveness nationwide. According to the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index 2018 released during the 6th Regional Competitiveness Summit, Parañaque ranked only #21. Even provincial cities like Bacolod and Naga are way ahead at numbers 9 and 10 respectively. With these mentioned, Parañaqu

After finding out the truth about the lack of a law for the public transportation use of e-vehicles in Parañaque, I walked out of the building and as I moved on further on City Hall grounds, I saw two electric tricycle units (made by Star 8) on display at an environment-oriented exhibit. I pictured the more elaborate e-trike (the one above).

Wow. Think about that. Electric tricycles on display in a city that does not even allow electric vehicles to be used to serve commuters publicly.

Before I forget, let me state that the City Government was celebrating the 18th anniversary of Republic Act Number 9003 which is the national law on ecological solid waste management which itself emphasizes care and responsibility of the environment.

Now when will Parañaque’s officials start working to legitimize e-vehicles for public transportation? If you are a certified city resident who wants to see those fuel-burning public utility vehicles be replaced gradually with e-vehicles, consider taking time out to write letters to the city government officials. Even though there is an upcoming democratic exercise in the form of a local election on May 2019, communicating with your officials is still recommended.

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