CEBU CITY, Philippines – The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has approved the request of police here to temporarily cut off mobile phone signals in observance of the Fiesta Señor and its secular event, the Sinulog Festival.
In a letter dated January 6, the NTC gave the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) the go signal to jam mobile phone signals in areas where activities of the 458th Fiesta Señor and the Sinulog Festival will take place.
It was signed by Ella Blanca Lopez, officer-in-charge and deputy commissioner of the NTC, and addressed to the country’s four telecommunication companies which are the Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc. (the business name for PLDT), Smart Communications Inc., Globe Telecomms Inc., and DITO Telecommunity Corp.
A copy of the signed letter was also furnished to members of the media on Tuesday, January 10.
The signal shutdown will cover the Fluvial Procession, and Solemn Procession this Saturday, January 14, as well as the Grand Parade this Sunday, January 15.
This means that starting this Saturday, from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m., devotees and spectators should brace for mobile connectivity loss in the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Cebu.
On the same day, mobile networks will be suspended again between 12 noon to 8 p.m. in downtown and uptown Cebu City for the Solemn Procession.
Mobile phone signals will also be cut off in downtown Cebu City and at the South Road Properties (SRP) from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., or at least 15 hours, on Sunday or during the Sinulog Grand Parade.
To recall, local law enforcement agencies agreed on jamming mobile phone signals here in line with the Fiesta Señor and Sinulog Festival celebrations as part of their peace and order protocols. This protocol was first implemented in 2017.
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