Lodging houses to keep watch for minors on Valentine’s Day

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Food handlers, room boys, and even managers of lodging houses in the metro will keep an eye on minors who will enter their establishments on Valentine’s Day.

Nestor Canong, head of Task Force on Moral and Values Formation, said the employees of the lodging-houses personally committed that they will intercept minors who will attempt to enter their premises on Friday.

“Naistorya na naton ang mga food handlers, managers, and room boys and na-warningan na naton sila. Nagpasalig sila nga sila mismo mabantay sa mga menor de edad,” he said on Monday.

Canong said they also conducted information drives with owners and employees of lodging houses, pension houses, and inns all over the city.

Huge billboards with warning signs against admitting minors were also installed near lodging houses, he added.

Aside from this, Canong said they will also deploy personnel to monitor lodging houses discreetly.

“Lantawon ta ila promisa nga dapat indi na sila pagbantayan kag mangin responsible na sila sa aton mga polisiya. This time around I will see to it nga strikto ang aton pagimplementar,” he said.

The task force chief said they will be monitoring seven lodging houses in La Paz and other establishments in the districts of Molo, Mandurriao and City Proper.

Canong warned that establishments who will allow minors in their premises will face serious charges and even imprisonment.

Recently, two establishments near the Central Philippine University (CPU) were caught serving liquor to minors.

Canong said the two businesses face permanent closure for lack of permits.

Last February 2019, Canong said that 135 minors were apprehended in the city for violating the 10 p.m. curfew policy.