TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Regulatory offices of the city government and law enforcers held a meeting with owners of restaurants and restobars on September 16, directing them to strictly comply with safety measures, curfew, and other regulations meant to prevent untoward incidents in their premises.
Pierre Galicia of the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) reiterated City Ordinance No. 9 series of 2015 or the ordinance requiring establishments to install CCTVs and the code of general ordinance series of 2008 requiring drinking establishments to employ a security guard.
Additionally, he recalled that businesses are required to close at 12:00 midnight or 10 o’clock depending on the curfew hours adopted by some barangays and reminding them that there should be no selling of liquor on Sundays and the prohibition of selling alcohol to minors.
According to Galicia, inspections conducted last week revealed nine outlets lacking CCTV, eleven lacking security guards, one violating closing times and refusing to accept a notice of violation, seven lacking worker health certificates, and two lacking a business permit.
Galicia advised business owners to follow rules in order to keep their licenses. The latest shooting incident in a restobar has also brought attention to the necessity of carefully enforcing security measures and curfew hours.
Per report of the police, traffic accidents especially during nighttime are once again increasing in frequency and are primarily brought on by drunk drivers who most often came from drinking spree in restobars.
Authorities cannot reasonably keep an eye on every establishment in the city around-the-clock, so the city requests for the cooperation and compliance of businesses.
“Kaykayat ti city government nga lumago ti businesses yo, we do not aim to close your establishments,” Galicia said, adding “Ngem para metlang kadakayo ken dagiti customer daytuy. Ag-comply kayon. Pagtitinnulungan tayo daytuy,” he said.
To make sure that businesses are abiding by rules and regulations, the inspectorate team, which is made up of the BPLO, City Health Services Office, Tabuk City Police Station, and other pertinent offices, will continue their inspections of business establishments on a regular basis. By Tabuk-CPIO