It’s all systems go for the 4th Davao Torotot Festival where around 10,000 party-horn blowers are expected to flock to the Rizal Park here to welcome the New Year.
City Tourism Officer Generose Tecson on Sunday said they are very much prepared for the festival, which will start with a parade at 4 p.m. on December 31 from the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company compound along Ponciano St. going to Rizal Park.
But the program proper will start at 6 p.m. until 1 a.m. of January 1, 2017, she said.
“The Davao Torotot Festival is one of its kind in the country, so Dabawenyos should come out and show the rest of the country how to have fun sans firecrackers,” she said.
Smart Communications Regional Head Arnold Dellosa said they are not gunning for a Guinness record for the most number of Torotot blowers this time unlike in 2013 festival where they attempted to break higher record currently held by Japan with 6,900 people.
“We still would want to focus on the real essence of the festival which is to support the city’s advocacies on Zero Casualty, No Smoking and No Firecrackers,” he said.
He added that organizers are giving P50,000 each for winners of most creative torotot, most creative torotot inspired costume, torotot-inspired cosplay, and hip hop dance battle.
Seniro Insp. Catherin Dela Rey, spokersperson of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) said they have yet finalize the security measures.
“We have yet to receive the final activities from the organizers because they said there will be a parade. Rest assured that we are doing our best to make the Torototot Festival successful and secure,” she said.
She encouraged Dabawenyos to take part in the festival and refrain from using firecrackers.
The City Council passed City Ordinance 060-02 on October 15, 2002, which prohibits the manufacture, sale, distribution, possession, or use of firecrackers or pyrotechnic devices or such other similar devices.
First time offenders will be fined P1,000 or imprisonment of not more than one month but not less than 20 days, or both fine and imprisonment; second time violators will be fined P3,000 or imprisonment of not more than three months but not less than one month or both fine and imprisonment; and third time offenders will be fined P5,000 or imprisonment of six months but not less than three months, or both fine and imprisonment. (MindaNews)
