Drones to be regulated in Cebu City after ordinance gets City Council’s OK

file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The use of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles within Cebu City will soon be regulated.

This developed after the the Cebu City Council approved on third reading during the council’s regular session on October 4, the Cebu City Drone Ordinance that would regulate the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, and remotely piloted aircraft or drones within Cebu City.

READ: BJMP, police support proposed ordinance regulating use of unmanned aerial vehicles, drones

Victory for police, jail, military

Councilor Rey Gealon, who authored the proposed ordinance, said on Sunday, October 8, that the approval of his ordinance was a “victory” for the police, jail, and military authorities, especially those with security concerns in their respective jail facilities and camps.

“They, who are at the forefront of maintaining peace and order and national security, must be prioritized in terms of attending to their concerns,” Gealon told CDN.

The proposed ordinance of Cebu City Councilor Rey Gealon has been approved by the council during its final deliberation and third reading on October 4 in the council’s regular session.

READ: Drones as plowshares, not swords

Regulate drones

Gealon added that the security of the law enforcement officers and those who are under their custody could not be compromised.

During the council’s public hearing last August 23, 2023, a control officer from the Cebu City Jail Dormitory and a representative from the Cebu City Police Office expressed their support for the said ordinance.

READ: PRO-7 eyes use of drones in crime prevention

Fees

Those who will use drones or any unmanned aerial vehicles for recreational or personal purposes must have to pay P100 for an hour of operation, and P30 for every hour thereafter.

Meanwhile, if used for business, commercial, or academic purposes, operators must pay not less than P300 for an hour of operation and P50 for every hour thereafter.

Drone owners or operators will pay the fees to the City Treasurer’s Office, upon the guidance of the Office of the City Mayor because they would handle the implementation of rules and procedures, Gealon said on Sunday.

Those who fail to comply with the requirements of the ordinance shall be liable to six months imprisonment but not to exceed one year or a fine of P5,000.

Moreover, in case the drone’s owner is an entity, aside from its actual operator, the manager, president, and other responsible officers of the entity would be held responsible.

According to Gealon, the ordinance would take effect 15 days after its approval.

READ: Ukrainian drones attack Russian air base near Estonia

Prohibited acts

The following are some of the acts that are strictly prohibited under the said ordinance:

• Using or operating a drone not registered or with no operator’s certificate issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP)
• Using or operating a drone with no marking of its owner’s name, contact number, and address of the registered owner or operator
• Using or operating more than one drone at a time
• Using or operating a drone that transports or carries a living creature or objects
• Using or operating a drone under the influence of alcohol or any drugs
• Using or operating a drone during night time

Meanwhile, to the departments who would conduct aerial surveys during landslides, they would have to secure a permit.

Based on the previous report, under this ordinance, a special permit may be issued by the Office of the City Mayor granting permission to operate a drone within Cebu City on the given date, time, and place, indicating the name of the drone owner, operator, and other relevant information.