DAVAO CITY, Philippines – City officials will not change the “No Backpack Policy” in Davao City before the start of the Kadayawan Festival citing security reasons, but will give consideration to mothers and PWDs who need to bring necessities in small backpacks.
The consideration was given following a social media post last April of a mother of a four-year-old child who was not allowed to enter the Rio Carnival along the Coastal Road as she had a backpack which carried necessities for her child. The post garnered comments from both Davawenyos and tourists as some expressed the same concerns regarding the city’s security protocol in public events.
Officials on public safety had discussed the citizens’ concerns, but city councilor Atty. Luna Acosta, who chairs the council’s Committee on Peace and Public Safety, explained that there is no need to change the policy as it is part of the city’s Culture of Security framework adopted in 2020.
“As much as possible, we all know how strict the security measures in Davao City are. We would like to remind everyone who wants to participate in the Kadayawan activities that backpacks are still not allowed in maximum-security zones,” Acosta said.
Acosta explained that rather than revising the executive order, authorities will exercise discretion in certain cases, such as mothers and persons with disabilities (PWDs) bringing backpacks of a reasonable size.
“I understand that there are requests now from our mothers, our PWDs, and our senior citizens regarding backpacks. Our understanding with the security sector is that as long as your bag isn’t too big, we will post specific guidelines indicating the allowable size,” Acosta added.
Acosta clarified that child-sized backpacks, which can be easily inspected by authorities, may be allowed. However, she stressed that standard-sized backpacks will most likely be prohibited from entering event areas.
The “No Backpack Policy” was enforced after the Roxas Night Market bombing on September 2, 2016, which killed 15 people and injured 69 others.
The implementation of this security protocol was later expanded through Executive Order No. 41 in 2020 by then-Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, urging the public to adopt a “Culture of Security.” EO 41 in section 2.d stated that people are prohibited from bringing backpacks, large bags, and non-transparent water containers during parades, concerts, religious ceremonies, and other mass gatherings.(davaotoday.com)
