ILOILO CITY – A five-day gun ban will be implemented to secure the Manggahan Festival and 31st founding anniversary of the island-province of Guimaras next week.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has approved the request of the provincial government to suspend Permits to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence (PTCFORs) from May 19 to 23.
“This is to ensure a peaceful and orderly celebration during the last weekend of the festival,” said Guimaras Gov. JC Rahman Nava.
The Guimaras Police Provincial Office has not recorded any incident related to Manggahan Festival since it was launched two weeks ago.
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Nava hopes that peace and order will be maintained in the towns of Buenavista, Jordan, Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo, and Sibunag during the duration of the festival.
The provincial government expects celebrities and other high-profile guests to attend key events of the festival.
Actor Vin Abrenica and actress Yves Flores are expected to grace the coronation night of Miss Guimaras on May 19 and OPM bands Mayonnaise and Rivermaya are performing on May 22.
The Manggahan Festival celebrates the province's most famous product, the Guimaras mangoes.