The city government has reminded owners and operators of night establishments to comply with the minimum health protocols if they do not want their operations shut down.
“We have to send a strong message that the city does not tolerate any violations of its rules and regulations,” Mayor Benjamin Magalong said during a media forum recently.
He made the remarks after the closure of several local restobars for continuing to violate regulations despite already being given notices of violations.
“The reason that we are strict in implementing the rules is to make sure that they are complying with a signed commitment to follow regulations that they presented to us. However, we later found that some of the signatories, including several of their leaders, are the violators themselves,” the mayor said.
He said establishments that were ordered shut pretended to be closed but were actually operating and filled with people inside, a lot of them drunk, and not following minimum public health standards.
Magalong said he asked the association of bar operators for another commitment and is happy to note that they are currently policing their own ranks and is commending them for cooperating with the city government.
“All we are asking is that we will not be strict with them as long as they follow strictly their commitment in following the city’s rules and regulations,” he said.
Baguio Association of Bars and Entertainers president Allan Bandoy assured the mayor of their full cooperation and even recommended the revocation of permits of these erring establishments to serve as a lesson for others.
“We don’t tolerate these kinds of restobars operating in Baguio that continue to violate the city’s rules and ordinances,” he said. – Gaby B. Keith
