CH to close 79 more establishments

CEBU, Philippines - At least 79 more financial establishments in Cebu City, including money remittance and courier outlets, will be ordered to temporarily cease operations until security requirements are complied with.

The City Legal Office, however, refused to give the list pending the issuance of a formal notice. City legal officer Jerone Castillo said the notices are yet to be signed by Mayor Michael Rama.

Castillo said there are 22 branches of a company with the same nature of business with that of the LBC Express, wherein 16 of its branches outside malls have been served with notices to temporary stop operation until they hire security guards, will also be served notices to comply with security requirements.  

Personnel of the City Legal Office and the City Treasurer’s Office have jointly inspected the establishments and were reportedly found to have lack the appropriate security measures like security guards and surveillance cameras.

“Same gihapon way security guards based on inspections. The same with LBC, we will be sending notices to all to be fair,” Castillo said, stressing that the city will not think twice to padlock their establishments if they will not comply with the necessary security requirements.

The city’s move was anchored on the conditions set in the business permit which states that a valid permit issued “may be revoked for any other good reasons of general and public interest.”

Castillo said once the permittee failed to comply with the terms and conditions, the permit may be revoked. Further, failing to hire guards to secure the establishment can be considered already a violation of the terms and conditions in the permit.

The establishments’ subject of the notice will be given three days upon receipt to comply with the requirements.

On the other hand, CLO has yet to receive a written compliance report from the 16 LBC branches that were earlier issued notices.

“Naa na daw compliance but I have to confirm through a formal report. But, as of today (yesterday) we didn’t yet receive any reply from the 16 branches. That does not prohibit us from determining independently through our inspectors kun nagbutang naba og security measures kani nga mga establishments,” Castillo said.— (FREEMAN)