BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance requiring all business owners operating in the city to install reflectorized tapes or eye-catching markers on glass doors and glass panels of their business establishments for purposes of public safety and providing penalties for violation of the measure.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Joel Alangsab stated that all business owners in the city will be required to install reflectorized tapes or eye-catching markers on all glass doors and glass panels of their establishments for public safety purposes.
The ordinance stipulated that the reflectorized tapes or eye-catching markers shall be placed or installed permanently at the glass doors or glass panels within the view where they could easily be noticed and seen by people.
The ordinance stated that the installation of the reflectorized tapes or eye-catching markers will be a pre-requisite prior to the issuance of business permit and license to operate to guarantee compliance of the business owners.
Under the provisions of the ordinance, business owners found violating the pertinent provisions of the measure shall be fined P1,000 for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense and temporary closure of the establishment for the third offense.
The ordinance mandated all concerned offices and agencies of the local government and the 128 barangays to effect the city-wide dissemination of the pertinent provisions of the measure.
The City Permits and Licensing Division under the City Mayor’s Office and the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) will be tasked to implement the ordinance and likewise formulate the appropriate implementing rules and regulations to guarantee the successful implementation of the edict.
The ordinance noted that it has been observed that some developers of buildings in the city have adopted glass doors and glass panels in their structural designs and due to its transparency, people have often mistaken the see-true glass doors and panels as free and unlocked passage ways or open windows wherein any person may accidentally bump into it.
Moreover, the ordinance claimed that the said accident causes danger to life and could bring injury to the person when the glass breaks because of the heavy impact of whatever contact with the said breakable panels.
The ordinance stated that future accidents could be avoided by adopting protective measures for the safety of the public, especially among the elderly and the visually impaired individuals.
The approved ordinance will be finalized by the local legislative body before transmitting the same to the City Mayor’s Office for the signature of Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan and that it will become effective 15 days after its publication in a local newspaper of general circulation.
The adoption of the ordinance was enacted upon the request of various senior citizens and persons with disabilities who were victims of having bumped glass doors and glass panels which were described as see-true, thus, the need for the installation of reflectorized tapes among others.
By Dexter A. See
Banner photo by Meryl Perez
