Skaters defy city ordinance to mark “Go Skateboarding Day” downtown

CEBU, Philippines - Despite the ordinance that prohibits the use of rollerblades and skateboards on any road within Cebu City, more than a hundred skaters trooped downtown yesterday without permit from the city government to celebrate the "Go Skateboarding Day."

The City Traffic Operations and Management was forced to compromise and allow the skaters without being apprehended to avoid possible commotion considering the magnitude of the participants.

Joy Tumulak, CITOM's operation officer, said his department exercised maximum tolerance under the situation.

"Nag-exercise mi og maximum tolerance kay delikado man kun panakpon sila kay daghan man sila mga hundreds, niya magdinaganay. Naglikay mi's disgrasya," Tumulak said.

 City Ordinance 801 also known as the Traffic Code of Cebu City prohibits the use of rollerblades and skateboards on any roadway except while crossing the street.

CITOM personnel, however, were deployed to watch over the skaters to avoid any untoward incident. Tumulak said they requested the organizers to continue their celebration at the Plaza Independencia where CITOM personnel and two mobile patrol cars continue to watch over them.

Tumulak said he did not receive any coordination or a letter from the organizer asking permission from them to hold the event. He said they will also ask the organizer of the event to visit in their office with regards the matter.

Ginie Mark Sarmiento, one of the skaters, said they did not ask permission because they are aware that the city will not allow them. He vowed to continue what they are doing despite the ordinance.

On behalf of the other skaters, Sarmiento appealed to the city government to give them a place where they can do what they love to do, skating.

 Lawyer Rafael Christopher Yap, CITOM executive director, said they have been implementing the ordinance since its passage.

"We've never stop. Though we exercised the maximum tolerance, it's not absolute," he said adding that they will strongly implement the provisions in the ordinance despite the number of possible violators.

 Yap also emphasized that there are CITOM personnel who are watching the possible violators of the law everyday even on weekends.

The violators will pay P500 fine to get their rollerblades and skateboards back. For minors, they will be accompanied by their parents in getting back the confiscated item after paying the same fine. —  (FREEMAN)