Apprehension of graffiti vandals, urged

Mauricio Domogan has directed the Baguio City Police Office to step up their apprehension of violators of the city’s anti-graffiti ordinance that has been in effect for several years now.

The chief executive gave the directive during the recent Alay Sa Kalinisan, Inc. meeting at City Hall attended by representatives from various government offices and agencies including the private sector.

Domogan stressed graffiti vandalism continues to be a problem in many parts of the Summer Capital and these acts should be dealt with and not taken for granted.

Anti-Graffiti Task Force (AGTF) operations head Ross Goze said he is thankful this year’s search for the city’s cleanest barangays has included graffiti vandalism as one of its criteria for judging.

Goze added the group continues to conduct lectures and trainings for volunteers at the AGTF office at Baguio Convention Center so they can assist in the city’s ongoing campaign against graffiti vandalism.

Goze revealed 75 representatives from 38 barangays have undergone the training-seminars since it started in June of last year. He is urging the city’s other barangays to send their representatives for training.

Goze said trainees are given the general overview of the antigraffiti code; the process of gathering inventory of illegal graffiti in their respective areas; the actual information campaign; the proper way of removing illegal graffiti, and more.

The code defines graffiti or graffiti vandalism as “any unauthorized inscription, word, figure, painting or defacement that is written, marked, etched, scratched, sprayed, drawn, painted or engraved on or otherwise affixed, to the extent that the graffiti was not authorized in advance by the owner or occupant of the property, or despite advance authorization, is otherwise deemed a public nuisance. It shall include all types of unauthorized markings amounting to vandalism and public nuisance.”

It also mentions other prohibited acts, penalties to be imposed for violations and other pertinent details for its proper implementation. Gaby Keith/ Baguio City PIO