- CHERYL G. CRUZ
Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez has issued an executive order creating the Integrated City Enforcement Team for “a proper, efficient, effective, and immediate enforcement and implementation of city ordinances”.
In EO 54 dated Nov. 22 and made public this afternoon, Nov. 24, Benitez said the various departments with separate task force or enforcement team result in a convoluted and inefficient implementation of numerous ordinances, compounded by the lack of coordination with other departments for an effective enforcement.
There is need to consolidate the various task forces and enforcement teams under a single organization, a unified command structure, with input from various departments, in order to effectively and efficiently enforce the various ordinances, the mayor added.
Benitez designated the City Legal Officer and the Bacolod City Police Office director as chairman and co-chairman, respectively, and they shall be responsible for the planning, supervision and execution of the tasks and functions of the Enforcement Team.
A team leader named by the chairmen shall be responsible for the coordination and supervision of all enforcement team members, who shall enforce the city ordinances with emphasis on, but not limited to, vendors along or occupying sidewalks or streets; garbage disposal, illegal dumping of garbage and hazardous materials, and general sanitation;
Illegal structures and abatement of nuisance; illegal slaughtering, animal disease prevention, meat hygiene and market ordinances; enforcement of health and sanitary regulations; inspection of business permits and other regulations concerning business establishments, such as proper calibration of weights, measurements, and scales;
Enforcement of traffic ordinances, of agriculture and fishery laws, vagrancy, violations on curfew, and mendicancy, and implementation of other ordinances passed by the sanggunian and other functions as may be directed by the mayor.
Under the EO, the Integrated City Enforcement Team, with concerned department or office charged with the enforcement of ordinances, may issue citation tickets; recommend to the City Legal Office appropriate legal action or the filing of a complaint for violation of ordinances; conduct inspections; and seize any contraband as may be mandated by an ordinance and cause its destruction after complying with all legal procedures.
The Enforcement Team members shall include an adequate number of policemen as designated by the police director upon recommendation of the CLO; and city employees or casuals recommended by the chairmen.
The Team shall coordinate and obtain assistance from city departments and offices with technical knowledge and skills in the implementation and enforcement of ordinances, the EO said.
The team leader shall compile the reports submitted by each unit every third week of the month, for submission to the chairmen and the mayor.
All officials and employees of the City, including barangay officials, employees, and tanods are directed to assist the Enforcement Team, if requested, Benitez stressed./CGC
