BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), in coordination with the Iloilo City Traffic Management Unit (ICTMU), has intensified the enforcement of the city’s ordinance against loud and noisy modified mufflers, resulting in 56 vehicles being apprehended.
The campaign targets compliance with Regulation Ordinance No. 2017-087, which amends the original muffler regulation, Regulation Ordinance No. 2017-071. The city’s initiative aims to reduce noise pollution from vehicles with modified mufflers.
A challenge highlighted in the enforcement efforts is the limited number of decibel meters available for accurately measuring vehicle noise levels, with only one decibel meter currently in use.
The ICPO has requested additional decibel meters from the city government to improve the effectiveness of the ordinance’s enforcement.
Last year, the city council introduced amendments to the original anti-muffler ordinance to give it more teeth.
The amendments included lowering the maximum decibel allowed for sound emitted from the muffler of a motorcycle from 115 decibels to 99 decibels at an engine speed of 2,000 to 2,500 revolutions per minute (RPM).
A stiffer penalty also awaits violators. Modified muffler or exhaust pipe can be confiscated for the first, second and third offenses.
There’s monetary fine, too – P1,000 (first offense); P2,000 (second offense); and P3,000 (third offense)./PN