Complaints vs. noisy karaoke sessions dominate calls to Valenzuela’s discipline hotline

Unlimited karaoke at home? Not if you're in Valenzuela and your neighbors can't take it.

The city government of Valenzuela recently launched Task Force Disiplina 24-7 hotline through which residents could report city ordinance violations.

Residents uncomfortable with confronting annoying neighbors, some of whom could be relatives, may dial 352-8000 to call in their complaints.

So far, most of the complaints called in were violations of the city's ordinance regulating karaoke sessions at residences, banning them from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The ordinance was passed in 2016.

Residents of Barangay General T. De Leon, one of the biggest barangays in the city, called in most of complaints which ranged from illegally parked vehicles blocking neighbors gates to karaoke sessions that kept neighbors awake.

"Yung iba pagka nakainom na sumosobra kahit hatinggabi na. Sinisindak nila yung mga opisyales dito hindi sila mapagbawalan," purok leader Rico Guzman said.

Karaoke sessions that annoy or offend between 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. will be fined P1,000 pesos for the first offense, 3,000 for the second offense, and 5,000 for the third offense.

The hotline is now only at its pilot phase, accepting complaints for violations of five city ordinances namely the videoke ordinance, transportation ordinance, anti rabies ordinance, solid waste management ordinance  and illegal gambling.

The city is set to expand the range of complaints in the coming months.

"'Yung tao walang oras 'yan sa pagsusumbong. Ang gusto ng constituents natin 'pag sinumbong, may sasagot at may aaksyon. 'Yun po ang purpose nito," task force officer-in-charge Engineer Edward Faustino said. —NB, GMA News