By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan
The Iloilo City government has banned “park shots,” or recreational visits involving alcohol consumption, along the newly opened Sunset Boulevard following reports of litter left on roadsides and surrounding wetlands.
Mayor Jerry Treñas announced on Feb. 3, 2025, that drinking would no longer be allowed along the 4.99-kilometer road after empty bottles and trash were found scattered by some visitors.
He also warned against reserving parking spaces along the boulevard, citing a video of two motorists arguing over a spot.
“I don’t think we will be able to allow drinking to continue. Unfortunately, we were really caught by surprise with the magnitude of people going there, and the magnitude of trash that they leave,” Treñas said during his press conference.
“No one is supposed to have reserved parking there unless you have an office there,” he added.
The mayor also plans to coordinate with the Land Transportation Office (LTO)-Western Visayas to deploy personnel to conduct breathalyzer tests and check for drunk drivers.
Despite the ban on drinking, rolling store vendors with legal permits will still be allowed to operate along the road.
Treñas also reiterated plans to install garbage bins designed to prevent scavenging by stray animals, particularly dogs and cats.
“Those selling on the premises would have to secure a city permit for hawkers and pass the City Health Office’s sanitary inspection,” he said.
Regarding the issue of stray animals, the mayor said they would secure additional rabies vaccines while identifying and returning collared dogs to their owners.
The city is also searching for a site to establish a larger, more permanent dog pound.
“I do not really know whether these dogs have been fully vaccinated for rabies. These dogs have no collars, and we do not know the owners. I assure animal advocates that we would tend to the dogs in our dog pound,” Treñas said.
Four Tons of Trash Collected
City General Services Office (GSO) chief Neil Ravena confirmed that four tons of garbage were collected from Sunset Boulevard between Jan. 29 and Feb. 2.
While the waste collected on roadsides came from visitors, some trash found along the nearby wetlands had drifted from the Iloilo River and Tabucan village in Mandurriao district.
“There is a drainage system there, so the outpour is from the Iloilo River. Considering that there are still informal settlers in Tabucan, most probably, the waste from that area contributes to the problem,” Ravena said.
“At the same time, there might be people on tugboats throwing trash into the river, which would then flow toward Sunset Boulevard, especially during the Amihan (northeast wind season),” he added.
The city is working with the City Planning Office, the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) of Oton, and other government agencies on the turnover of the road to Iloilo City.
“We will collaborate with Oton, ensuring that whatever species of plants we use on our side, they will plant on their side as well. They are also willing to coordinate with us to implement uniform enforcement of regulations on both ends of the boulevard,” Ravena said.
