ILOILO CITY: Stricter measures are in place as thousands of visitors are expected to flock to this city to experience the world-renowned Dinagyang Festival on January 27 and 28.

The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) has announced the deployment of checkpoints at 10 key boundaries between the city and province of Iloilo starting on Friday, January 26.

The designated areas for the checkpoints include the boundaries of the city to the towns of Oton, Leganes and Pavia.

DINAGYANG FEVER An Ati tribe in festive colorful attire hold an image of a saint as they deliver a yeoman performance highlighting the opening salvo of the Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. PHOTO BY RJAY ZURIAGA CASTOR

Additional personnel, sourced from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6, will augment the checkpoint areas.

Three mobile detention centers from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology will be stationed in the city proper and Mandurriao District for disruptive or unruly revelers during the celebration.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas had also issued an executive order suspending classes on all levels for public and private schools on January 26, 27 and 29.

Since Monday, several streets in the city proper have been closed to motorists at specific hours as they are used by Ati-atihan tribes for practice.

The Iloilo City Traffic Management Unit, meanwhile, announced that city streets will be closed to motorists as early as 5 a.m. on January 27.

Treñas is reminding tourists to enjoy the festival while maintaining order and discipline.

"I remind everyone to come here and enjoy the Dinagyang Festival but do not create a scene here because our police authorities are prepared. We will put you in jail. The city government will ensure that this year's Dinagyang is the liveliest but also the safest ever," he said.

He also said that he had directed the city engineering office to install more lights in areas where Ati-atihan tribes will be performing to ensure the safety and security of the performers and the audience.

The city mayor confirmed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will not be joining the Dinagyang Festival. However, there is a chance that First Lady Marie Louise "Liza" Marcos will grace the event.

"The Dinagyang Festival is inclusive regardless of your political color. We will welcome everyone here and provide them with the kind of welcome we give to everybody," Treñas added.

The mayor also reiterated his earlier pronouncement that signal jamming is not to be implemented during the key activities of the Dinagyang Festival.

"It's final. While there is, I think, another letter of appeal sent to the city council, the council will have to review that. As far as I am concerned, it is final," he said.

The city council is yet to decide on the proposal of the Police Regional Office 6 for signal jamming in specific areas in its second committee hearing on Wednesday, January 24.

The council, police authorities, business groups, and representatives from major telecommunication companies initially convened to discuss the proposal in a committee hearing on January 18.