Mow woe

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has launched the Safer Cities Initiative (SCI) in Metro Manila following the failure of barangay officials and watchmen to curb public disturbances and nuisances.

Under the SCI, which enforces local ordinances that are not being observed by the public, people drinking liquor on the roadsides and sidewalks would be arrested by police. The commonplace practice has caused arguments leading to fights among intoxicated drinkers and sometimes to loss of life.

Also to be arrested are nocturnal videoke singers that prevent their neighbors from sleeping. The DILG set the time limit for videoke sessions at 10 p.m., unless permitted, like during a fiesta.

“I know Filipinos like to sing. Many are good singers. It feels good to sing when with friends. But pity the others and let them sleep,” said DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla in a press conference on Monday.

Loud drinking and videoke singing at night are just some of the sources of noise pollution in a neighborhood. In a Reddit post, a homeowner complained of a neighbor’s obsession with tidiness.

In the online platform’s thread titled r/neighborsfromhell, the homeowner claimed enduring more than six years of day-long noise.

The neighbor starts up his lawnmower, weed whacker, leaf blower, and chainsaw and works tirelessly until evening, day after day, according to the post, yahoo!life reports.

“The humming of their lawnmower that probably needs to be serviced is literally driving me to the brink of insanity,” the homeowner said.

The average lawn takes approximately 45 minutes to mow but the neighbor has over an acre of land, which requires a significant time to trim. A commenter to the post said a couple of goats that graze six hours daily may stop the noise.