Kite-flying in Cebu City to be regulated

Local

CEBU City is set to regulate kite-flying in coastal and bridge-adjacent barangays following a recent injury along the Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX).

Mayor Nestor Archival has urged parents to curb risky practices while authorities assess the need for formal rules.

He said the city has begun issuing advisories and coordinating with barangays after being alerted to the situation by a city councilor.

“Nakahibaw ko ana kay gitawagan ko ni Konsehal Nice [Archival] regarding ani. So naghimo ko og advisory sa akong FB page and sa Cebu City News nga miawhag ko sa mga katawhan, sa mga bata nga kanang areas nga duol sa Duljo, dapit sa Pasil, Ermita, sa Sawang Calero, dapat dili kaayo sila [mga bata] magpa taas sa ilang tabanog,” he said in an interview on Friday, April 24.

Archival warned that high-flying kites pose hazards when strings snap or drift toward major roads and infrastructure.

“Kanang ilang tabanog man gud nga if ilang patas-an kaayo unta mabuhian naay possibility nga maadto and masangit sa bridge, unya ang hilo [nylon] nag kutay sa dalan,” he added.

He also cited safety concerns beyond traffic risks, including conflicts among children competing to fly higher.

“Akong giawhag nga dili makasala sa isig katawo dili kaayo taas nga tabanog. Naay tendency ang mga bata nga mag away, patas-anay,” he said.

The mayor said parents and barangay officials, particularly those in communities near the CCLEX, are being asked to help enforce safer practices.

“Akong giawhag ang mga ginikanan and barangay captains aning mga naa sa kilid sa CCLEX nga dili unta himuon na, akong giawhag ang CCLEX nga butangan gyud og crew ang bridge para pag tan-aw sa disgrasya. Ilang tan-awon if naay nylon nga nagkutay sa dalan,” he said.

Archival said the city will spend the next one to two weeks intensifying information campaigns before deciding on formal regulations.

“Akong gitan-aw if okay ba na kay basin unya masuko napod ang mga tawo nato kay mao raba ang kalingawan ba. So next one to two weeks atong mapahibaw ang mga ginikanan unya i-connect ang mga kapitan nga i-regulate nato. Atong tan-awon if wala na ba accidents,” he said.

The measure follows an incident on April 22 involving a 22-year-old Civil Engineering student who was injured after a kite string struck his neck while he was traveling along CCLEX.

Francis Gen Sta. Teresa said he was on his way home from class when the string, reportedly stretched across lanes, hit him.

The Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC) reiterated that kite-flying is strictly prohibited within any part of the 8.9-kilometer expressway and warned that activities in nearby communities can still create hazards.

The company said kites with broken strings may be carried by strong winds onto the roadway, posing risks to motorists and pedestrians.

Amid increased kite-flying during the summer season, CCLEC said it has intensified monitoring, deployed additional security personnel in areas adjacent to residential communities, and increased patrol and inspection operations.

The firm also urged the public to avoid flying kites near the expressway.(TGP)