Philippine event won't be held at Ngee Ann City

SINGAPORE - Organisers of a planned Philippine Independence Day celebration here have withdrawn their application to hold it at Ngee Ann City.

The event was to take place on June 8.

Police said the withdrawal follows public order and safety concerns with the venue proposed by organisers the Pilipino Independence Day Council Singapore.

Said a police spokesman: "The police...advised the organisers to consider alternative locations used previously for the event, such as Hong Lim Park last year and Suntec City in 2012."

A debate erupted last month after a Facebook post by the council about its intention to host the annual event in Orchard Road was lambasted by some netizens, who said they did not want it held there.

This article by The Straits Times was published in MyPaper, a free, bilingual newspaper published by Singapore Press Holdings.

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