DAVAO CITY – The City Information Office has set a new system for members of the press, hobbyists and bloggers who want to cover the Kadayawan Festival here next week.
Assistant Information Officer Joseph Lawrence Garcia said that instead of stickers, they will give out IDs for hobbyists, bloggers and members of the press.
Garcia said the first IDs released were for the media practitioners who have media outlets.
“Actually the first ID’s would be for the media practitioners. They are really members of the press. So, we give out media ids for media practitioners nga naa gyud (media) outlet (So, we give out media IDs for media practitioners who have media outlets),” he said.
Garcia said all the media were pre-registered and will be granted access to all activity areas.
Garcia said hobbyist photographers who do not have media outlets were divided into three areas indicated in their IDs.
“You can see the hobbyist IDs are numbered 1,2,3. These are designated areas specially during Indak-Indak because Indak-Indak will have three showdown areas,” Garcia said.
He said “IDs with number 1 will be assigned in Rizal Park, number 2 will be assigned in the Marco Polo area and number 3 in Apo View along Legaspi (street).”
In a press conference held Tuesday at the Councilors Lounge, Kadayawan Executive Committee spokesperson Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre said a hobyyist photographer asked him not to let the previous commotion along hobbyists and police authorities happen this year.
Police and marshals securing the event last year were reportedly too hard in restricting photographers.
Garcia said they decided to divide the hobbyist into groups since the showdowns that will be performed in the three areas will be the same.
He said the new system will also de-clog traffic. “We try to declog the traffic along Rizal Park areas. So if you will get a numbered ID this means you have a designated area,” said Garcia.
Garcia said, they are encouraging everyone to cooperate in the implementation of the new system.
“So, we’re hoping nga unta dili mahitabo tong nahitabo last year. This is the system this year. Kung naa mi makita nga kinahanglan i-improve then next year we will improve it again (We are hoping that what happened last year will not happen again. If we see that there is something we have to improve, then next year we will improve it),” said Garcia. (davaotoday.com)
