ILOILO City – With security preparations intensifying for one of the country’s biggest cultural events, the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) has formally sought the temporary shutdown of mobile phone signals in specific areas during the major highlights of the Dinagyang Festival 2026, citing public safety and anti-terrorism measures.
ICPO spokesperson Major Shella Mae Sangrines said the request is now awaiting action from the Iloilo City Government in coordination with the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI), stressing that approval from festival organizers remains crucial.
The Dinagyang Festival is one of the Philippines’ largest religious and cultural celebrations, held every January in this city in honor of the Santo Niño. Known for its high-energy street dancing competitions, elaborate costumes, and synchronized drumbeats, Dinagyang draws thousands of local and foreign visitors each year and is considered a major driver of tourism and economic activity in Western Visayas.
The proposed signal shutdown will still be deliberated during meetings of the Dinagyang Security Task Group (STG), where authorities are expected to determine the exact locations to be affected and finalize operational details.
Sangrines emphasized that any shutdown, if approved, will be limited only to areas hosting the festival’s main events.
“On November 18, 2025, we sent a formal letter addressed to the office of Mayor Raisa Treñas and furnished the executive director of IFFI, Joyce Clavecillas, requesting the facilitation of a resolution for the temporary jamming of mobile phone signals in specific locations only,” Sangrines said. “This is intended to safeguard the public and ensure the safety of both local and foreign visitors during Dinagyang 2026.”
The ICPO said the request aligns with the Philippine National Police Major Event Security Framework, which allows signal shutdowns as a preventive measure against threats such as improvised explosive devices that may be triggered through mobile phones.
Police officials stressed that the proposal is strictly for security purposes and forms part of standard protocols for large-scale gatherings.
Despite the pending decision on signal jamming, Sangrines assured the public that overall security preparations are already in place.
“We are not relying solely on this measure. The Site Task Group for Dinagyang 2026 is all systems go in terms of police deployment, along with the support and commitment of partner agencies that will help secure and monitor all festival activities,” she said.
In a separate letter signed by ICPO director Colonel Kim Legada and addressed to Mayor Treñas, with a copy furnished to IFFI, the police recommended the passage of a resolution requesting the National Telecommunications Commission to implement signal jamming in identified Dinagyang venues.
The ICPO said it remains hopeful that city officials and festival organizers will act promptly on the request as preparations continue to ensure the safe, secure, and orderly staging of Dinagyang Festival 2026./PN
