The Bacolod City government has shuttered seven of 12 commercial establishments for failure to secure their business permits, in a series of joint operations by personnel of the City Legal Office (CLO) and the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) from June 22 to 24.
The city did not name these establishments, but CLO Enforcement team leader, retired Colonel Levy Pangue, said these included a commercial building with four tenants, three of whom were operating without permits.
Some establishments also failed to secure the required building and occupancy permits from the Office of the Building Official (OBO), the city said June 26.
The enforcement of the closure orders forms part of Mayor Greg Gasataya’s directive to intensify the city’s campaign against unlawful business practices, and protect the interests of legitimate and law-abiding taxpayers.
“The city remains highly supportive of entrepreneurship and economic growth, but this must never come at the expense of fairness and the rule of law,” Pangue said. “We cannot allow a system where the diligent are disadvantaged while those who bypass our ordinances operate freely.”
Establishments cited for specific violations, such as non-renewal of permits and nonpayment of fees, were ordered to cease operations until all legal requirements are fully complied with.
The city government, through the BPLO, also urged business owners with expired, incomplete, or non-existent permits, to immediately comply with the necessary requirements before resuming their operations.
The enforcement came after comprehensive mapping operations and recommendations from the Bacolod Permits and Licensing Division, pursuant to Ordinance 565-2011, or the Revised Revenue Code of Bacolod City.
The CLO Enforcement Team will continue its operations in the coming weeks to monitor compliance and ensure that all commercial establishments across Bacolod operate safely, fairly, and legally, the city said. ||
