ILOILO CITY – Ilonggos were irked by the mobile phone signal shutdown for the Dinagyang Festival 2023 this weekend that affected the entire city as well as neighboring towns.
Organizers assured that only selected areas here won’t have a signal in certain time periods on Jan. 21 and 22 but signal shutdown for all mobile phone companies was reported in the towns of Oton, Pavia, and Leganes.
“We will be suffering until tomorrow,” lamented Marites Olivares Eusoya, a resident of Oton.
“In case of emergency, do we have to wait for the signal to come back to get help?” wondered Ivy Mari Posa who lives in Pavia.
“Tell me again why jamming telecommunications signal is a layer of ‘security’ during festivities?” added Joshua James Enriquez.
The signal jamming from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday was set in downtown Iloilo City, specifically at Iloilo Freedom Grandstand, Plaza Libertad, Plazoleta Gay, Provincial Capitol, Central Market, University of Iloilo, and the vicinity of SM Delgado.
Ilonggos lamented that the scheduled 6 to 9 p.m. signal jamming on Saturday night will be similar although organizers said it will be in only three areas of Mandurriao District – SM City Iloilo, The Atria of Ayala, and Iloilo Business Park of Megaworld.