
ILOILO CITY – Mayor Jerry Treñas won’t endorse the shutdown of mobile phone signal in the 2024 Dinagyang Festival due to the problems it had caused to the event this year.
Despite this, Treñas said the festival which returned face-to-face after a two-year lull due to the pandemic was successful.
“Except for the signal jamming, the celebration of Dinagyang 2023 was a great success. I will no longer endorse the request for signal jamming next year,” said Treñas in a statement on Monday, Jan. 23.
The Treñas administration had approved the proposal of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to shut down mobile phone signal for the duration of the key events of the weekend festival that honored the Santo Niño (Child Jesus) for security.
Weeks before the two-day festival, organizers assured that signals will only be jammed in certain parts here where key events of Dinagyang will be held.
But signal was shut down not only in the entire city but also in several towns, including Leganes, Pavia, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, and Tigbauan, and even the island-province of Guimaras.
While signals were jammed in past Dinagyangs, it was unclear why other places had a signal shutdown.
Food delivery riders and other e-commerce industries were heavily affected by the move. Many residents slammed the decision for its impact on emergency response measures.
The Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 considered this year’s Dinagyang to be generally peaceful. No major incident was recorded.