Village chiefs asked to help stop kite flying
The city government has asked the help of barangay officials in its drive to stop the flying of kites in areas where high voltage power lines are located.
City Mayor Jerry Treñas recently issued a memorandum order to all the barangay captains in the city to prohibit children from flying their kites in areas with high tension wires.
The memorandum was in relation to a recent power blackout that hit the city which was caused by the entanglement of a kite on Panay Electric Company's (PECO) 69 KV high tension wire in Jalandoni Estate, Lapuz, Lapaz. It caused one and a half hours of power outage in the entire city.
Treñas said he also asked the police to help in the enforcement of Regulation Ordinance 2002-371 which prohibits kite flying within the vicinity of the high voltage lines of power utilities. The ordinance was authored by former Councilor Rita Basco-Sarabia.
This summer season, kids go to any open space or field to fly their kites. They even compete among themselves on whose kite fly the highest. Kite flying is a common past time of kids, be in urban or rural areas.
The ordinance which prohibits kite flying does not only penalize the minor offenders but also their parents. In the ordinance, in case of minors, their parents would be liable in which they shall be punished by a fine of not less than P100 or by an imprisonment of not more than 30 days or both at the discretion of the court. Offenders will also be fined of P200 or imprisonment of not more than six months or both at the discretion of the court.
Meanwhile, Treñas said PECO and the National Power Corporation (NPC) already signed a contract for the former to buy power from the later. There are no other details available to confirm such deal except for the signing of contact.