City Hall to inspect businesses for permits

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

Mayor Jerry Treñas ordered inspections of all business establishments operating in Iloilo City to ensure that they comply with required permits and licenses.

In Memorandum Order No. 19-223, Treñas directed the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO), Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP), the City Tourism and Development Office (CTDO), and the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) to conduct the joint inspections starting Jan 21, 2020.

“May team na kita nga malibot, para malantaw kon sin-o may permits kag nakaprocess na ukon nakabayad,” Treñas said Thursday.

Recently, the city government discovered Manila-based Malabanan Siphoning Service conducting business in the city without the necessary permits.

“When I called their attention, it was only then that I found out nga wala siya permit. It was all over the city. I don’t want such things to happen kay kon diri ka sa siyudad you have to secure a permit,” he stressed.

The joint inspection will commence on Jan 21, a day after the deadline for the application of business renewals in the city.

Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) head Norman Tabud said they extended their office hours to accommodate business operators who will renew their permits this year.

“Starting on January 2 to January 20, 2020 we are open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Monday to Friday,” he said

For this year, Tabud said business permits released will also include fire safety inspection certificate, sanitary permit, and tourism permit.

“Unlike before, ang releasing sang sanitary and tourism permit after na sang pag release sang business permit. After nila kuha business permit, makadto pa sila tourism office to apply for tourism license, same man sa City Health Office for sanitary permit,” he said.

A total of 16,391 businesses in the city were issued permits by BPLO in 2019, according to Tabud.

This year, Tabud said they aim to issue permits to 2,000 additional businesses.

While businesses in the city are mostly into retail, trading, and tourism-related services, Tabud said they are seeing a growing number of online business and mobile canteen or food-truck businesses in the city.

He also underscored the need for an ordinance to regulate food truck and mobile canteen services.

“Nakita naton ang pagsulod sang mga online services, mobile canteen/foodtruck business, amo ni ang aton ginalantaw kag ginapreparahan. Kinahanglan naton sang ordinance para ma-regulate naton kay ambulant vendor lang may ara,” he said.