City mulls sanctions on 36 businesses for lack of permits

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

SILAY City – The city government of Silay in Negros Occidental is considering to issue cease and desist orders to 36 business owners of resorts, restaurants, and lodging houses in Patag and Lantawan areas if they failed to comply with the necessary requirements to continue their operations.

This was revealed by Mayor Mark Golez during a meeting with city officials, business owners, and representatives of concerned government agencies regarding the proposed ordinance on the creation of Patag-Guimbalaon Development and Management Authority (PGDMA) at Silay Outdoor Recreational and Ecological Tourism Area (Soreta) in Barangay Patag yesterday.

Golez said the Joint Inspection Team and the Office of the Building Official (OBO) served notices of violation to these business owners last week, informing them of the violations they committed in the areas which are situated at the North Negros Natural Park (NNNP), a protected area in the province.

Golez said the owners built structures illegally without building, occupancy, and waste discharge permits.

“What’s worst is that they don’t even pay their taxes. They’re operating without a decent permit,” he added.

He said these establishments were supposed to be tourist destinations but because of their violations, the city has no choice but to hold them liable.

He added that some of the investors and owners are from the different parts of the province and Bacolod City.

He noted that some business operations in the area started as early as 2004. “They failed to pay millions of taxes not just in the city but in the Republic of the Philippines,” he said.

“If we will not do something about this, ma lala lang ni ang sitwasyon kag basi sa ulihi indi na ma regulate ang waste,” the mayor said.

He said the proposed ordinance will regulate activities in the areas through policies. This will set as a precedence later on in paying of their taxes, he added.

He said the 10-day period given to the owners will end on August 10, but because of the coronavirus pandemic 2019 (COVID-19), these owners already voluntarily closed their establishments to limit the movement of people, considering the confirmed local transmission in the city.

“We also do not want people here to get infected by the virus,” he said.

They (owners) also want to be guided on what they can do to make their businesses legal, he said.

He said the owners should send him a letter about their intent to operate in the area but the applications will be forwarded to the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), which will deliberate and grant their application, afterwhich the city will then issue them permits.