CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES – The signal shutoff during the 2019 Sinulog activities will affect the entire Cebu City, and parts of Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, and even Bohol.
This was revealed by Senior Superintendent Royina Garma, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) after her dialogue with the National Telecommunications Commission in Central Visayas (NTC-7) on Monday, January 7.
The signal shutoff will be limited to the hours of the Sinulog activities on January 19 and 20.
Garma said that NTC-7 regional director Engineer Jesus Laureno assured the CCPO that the NTC National headquarters will approve the request of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) for the signal shutoff.
In a separate interview, Laureno said that a sectoral jamming can be difficult and signals may still penetrate the areas where signals are jammed.
A temporary shutoff of the signal towers of the telecommunications companies will be more efficient but will also affect a bigger scope.
Both Garma and Laureno encourage the public to prepare for the shutoff and find alternative ways of communication.
The affected parts in Bohol will be some the towns in the western side of the island or those facing Cebu City. /bjo