DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/20 Nov) – There is no such thing as “special curfew” for Davao City coastal road pedestrians, the city’s Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) said.
The Davao City Coastal Road. MindaNews file photo by BOBBY TIMONERA
Angel Sumagaysay, PSSO head, pointed out that the city’s curfew ordinance only affects minors.
“Our curfew ordinance covers the whole city, so what’s stated there covers all areas within Davao City, including coastal road,” he told reporters after the flag-raising ceremony at City Hall on Monday.
The Curfew Ordinance of Davao (Ordinance No. 000084-71) prohibits minors “from loitering around the city from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.” if they are not accompanied by their parents or guardians.
The curfew issue was raised after a Reddit post in r/davao subreddit by user u/Remote_Eye663 on Saturday claimed that coastal road pedestrians are “currently having a 10 p.m. curfew” and that they were confronted by police auxiliaries to refrain from walking along the sidewalk beyond curfew hours.
“It is very strange that the pedestrian sidewalks are completely functional but we are prohibited to loiter there during late hours,” the user said in the vernacular.
In response, Sumagaysay said that the auxiliaries “probably advised those involved pedestrians to go home because it is already nighttime.”
He also said that the park near the coastal road has its lights turned off, closed and locked at approximately 10 p.m. The park is then reopened to the public at 4 a.m.
However, the parking area and other parts of the coastal road are always open, he pointed out.
“They were simply reprimanded to stay from the park because the lights will be turned off. It does not mean that we’re adjusting the curfew,” the official said.
During the coastal road inauguration, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. described the project as not just an easier pathway for transportation, but also features public spaces such as walkways, bicycle lanes, and linear parks that the people need for their comfort, happiness, and well-being.
Meanwhile, Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan stated that the coastal bypass road also serves as a protective measure against sea wave actions, water surges, and shore erosion.
“Part of the project has also been designed as a promenade for the general public alongside the Davao Gulf,” Bonoan said. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
