Baguio’s ordinance against profanity

EDITORIAL

The ordinance in Baguio banning profanity has come under fire from oppositionists but it has its supporters.

Following this, the chairman of the city council committee on laws, justice and human rights urged residents and visitors to respect the city’s anti-profanity ordinance claiming this does not violate the constitutional right of the people to freedom of expression and speech.

Councilor Faustino A. Olowan said while there are several rulings of the Supreme Court that declare utterance of profane words is not libelous, the real essence of Ordinance No. 118, series of 2018 or the city’s anti-profanity ordinance is focused on the development of the right values and character of the youth who are often exposed to bad influence with the emergence of the social media.

He said adoption of the city’s anti-profanity ordinance is also aimed at helping the local government sustain its identity as a Character City that is why residents should possess the right values and character to be able to sustain the said established identity of the city.

“Let us start instilling discipline on our children by inculcating in them the right values and character for them to become responsible and dedicated citizens of our city. We should use the city’s anti-profanity ordinance as a vehicle to teach the youth to adhere to the standards of living in a diverse society,” Olowan said.

He said while the ordinance does not have a penal provision, it should not be set aside but it should serve as a constant reminder for everyone to be part of the change the government wants to instil in society which focused on values formation and character development, especially of the children who are exposed to social media.

According to him, the city’s anti-profanity ordinance is clear that its implementation is applicable to schoolchildren, high school or college, who frequently utter profane words in school campuses, cafeterias, computer shops and similar establishments frequented by the youth and people should not continue to make an issue out of it simply to gain public attention when all the issues being raised against the measure are addressed in the provisions of the same.

Olowan urged adults to set the example for the youth to emulate by not uttering profane words in front of them as a model for them when dealing with their companions or older people.

Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan had also urged residents and visitors to appreciate the beauty of the city’s anti-profanity ordinance because utterance of profane words in public places have become normal  instead of the same being an indecent act that ruins the image of the individuals from the perception of the young ones.

Domogan expressed gratitude to people who understand the enactment and implementation of the city’s anti-profanity ordinance which shows they are concerned with appropriate upbringing of children by their parents and relatives so that they will be able to be molded to have proper values and character as adults in the future.

Like we said earlier, legal or not, if profanity is offensive to some people, this should be respected