Council revises curfew hours

CEBU, Philippines — The Mandaue City Council has adopted a resolution tightening the enforcement of the city’s anti-loitering measures for minors, while revising curfew hours and detention rules to focus more on corrective interventions.

The resolution seeks to strictly implement Ordinance No. 99/019, which further amends City Ordinance No. 68-012, or the Anti-Loitering for Minors ordinance. Under the resolution, curfew coverage for minors has been shortened from 11:00 p.m. to before 5:00 a.m., to 11:00 p.m. to before 4:00 a.m. the following day. The detention period was also reduced from 10 days to two days.

Minors found loitering during curfew hours will still be apprehended. However, the measure emphasizes corrective rather than punitive interventions. The resolution also reiterates parental responsibility. Parents or guardians of apprehended minors are required to retrieve their children from designated holding facilities, such as barangay halls.

Councilor Jennifer S. del Mar, author of the resolution, underscored the urgency of addressing reports of minors frequently lingering in various parts of the city during late evening and early morning hours.

“Mostly sa mga gipangreport nga cases, involved ang mga bata,” del Mar said.

She added that some cases involving minors have been linked to acts of violence and crime.

“Naay mga crime involved man sad gud. We are trying to avoid these incidents,” she noted, stressing the importance of the ordinance in maintaining public order.

Earlier reports also cited vandalism incidents involving minors that resulted in property damage, including a vandalized public-use garbage compactor in Barangay Opao.

In a separate measure, the council also amended the city’s anti-vandalism ordinance to expressly include minors and strengthen parental accountability.

In an interview, Mayor Thadeo Ouano expressed support for the measures, citing youth-related disturbances in Barangays Banilad and Mantuyong that he said have intensified due to social media and gang influences.

“Dapat lang gyud. Atong paningkamotan ang safety sa tanan. Hinay-hinay lang ta to strictly implement, strict monitoring, and police visibility,” the mayor said.

City officials emphasized that the stricter implementation of the ordinances aims to safeguard the welfare of minors while taking into account the practical circumstances faced by their families.