“Ang di pagsunod sa simpleng regulasyon ay maaaring magdulot ng kapahamakan. Halimbawa: nito lamang ginamit ang Ninoy Aquino Stadium (isang sports venue) para sa “patawag” ni Mr. Francisco Domagoso kahit ang permit noon ay para lang sa sports events. Anong nangyari? Nagsiksikan, nagkagulo, may senior citizen na na-heat stroke, patay! Si Konsehal Apple Nieto nagpa-bingo sa kalsada, may batang nasagasaan. Patay. Mananagot ang mga dapat managot.”
Thus said Manila’s public information office chief Atty. Princess Abante, as she blasted a recent social media post of a fake memo by the city legal office reminding the need for special permits for certain occasions, particularly those that will be attended by large crowds. The fake memo was reworded to make it appear that even private affairs like birthdays and baptisms are included.
According to Abante, “there is no room for disinformation in the city of Manila. Ang special permit ay usapin ng batas, hindi ng pulitika. Ang memo ukol sa special permit ay batay sa Ordinansang ipinasa noon pang 2022. Ang COMELEC nga sumunod, kayo ayaw n’yo?”
Apart from this, Abante stressed that the memo was based on the long existing City Ordinance No. 8331 and a three-year-old Executive Order No. 12, Series of 2022 which were passed and issued, respectively, to protect the public in cases of public gatherings.
Abante chided the apparent intent to mislead the public via a disinformation campaign launched by the Manila Chapter of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas directed against the memo issued on January 20, 2025 by City Legal Officer na si Atty. Veronica Lladoc. The post, she noted, was based on a fake, reworded memo posted by the camp of Isko Moreno.
“Fake news na nga, pinatulan pa ulit ng another fake news. Simpleng bagay pilit pinalalaki. Itatama natin ang pananaw. Malayo ito sa pagkitil sa right to peaceful assembly ng taumbayan. Yung isang Facebook page may “martial law-martial law” pang nalalaman. Nakakatawa, pero mas nakakagalit dahil niloloko nila ang pangkaraniwang tao,” she said.
Securing special permits, she said, is nothing new, adding that it is an ordinanry process that ensures the orderly coordination and the safety of the public and compliance with the sufficiency of event facilities and public health standards.
“Simple lang ang memorandum. Kung may-ari ka ng sinehan at ang business permit mo ay para sa public exhibition ng pelikula, pero gusto mong gamitin ito para sa ibang aktibidad, kailangan mong mag-apply ng special permit. Sa business permit, nakasaad ang specific purpose ng isang establisyimento. Kaya kung ang venue mo ay sinehan, dapat pang-sinehan ang mga aktibidad doon. Kung gagamitin ito sa ibang bagay, kailangan ng special permit dahil lagpas na ito sa saklaw ng orihinal na regular permit,” Abante pointed out.
Abante further stressed: “Ang permit ay instrumento ng lokal na pamahalaan upang matiyak ang public safety at public convenience.Mismong COMELEC nga, noong ginamit nila ang sinehan ng SM Manila para sa COC filing nitong Oktubre, nag-apply ng special permit. Nabigyan sila agad—walang delay, walang red tape—dahil sumunod sila sa tamang proseso at iginalang ang mandato ng lokal na pamahalaan.”
