Blocked fire exits noted in barangay’s boarding houses

Unlike the boarding houses and accommodation establishments in three barangays earlier inspected by the city’s composite team, those at Barangay Honeymoon-Holyghost only had a few issues, blocked fire exits being the only major one.
The team, which inspected six accommodation establishments in the area specifically checked for compliance on sanitary, fire safety, structural integrity, security, smoke-free, and other local and national health and safety laws.
“The only major violation found by the Bureau of Fire was padlocked fire exits. Other than that, there were only minor violations which can be fixed or remedied,” the team headed by the City Health Services Office said.
The owners of the establishments committed to address the findings after two weeks and the concerned offices had been tasked to do follow-up checks.
The issues noted among the accommodation establishments were: buildings are near the creek; no fire alarm, emergency lights, exit, and no smoking signages; locked emergency exit; needs regular cleaning and maintenance of premises, proper waste segregation, disposal of unnecessary materials; display the copy of business permit; and one was found to be allowing smoking.
Prior to this, Mayor Benjamin Magalong convened the team directing the intensified monitoring of boarding houses and similar lodging facilities as well as speeding up of action on concerns on unsafe and unsanitary accommodation establishments.
He tasked the composite team to make inspections a regular activity and to follow through and secure the commitment of owners of accommodation establishments that incurred violations of health and sanitation and building rules to comply with all the requirements and institute corrective measures.
The city also set up hotlines for students, workers and other boarders to report unsafe and unsanitary accommodation establishments.
Complaints may be lodged at the Baguio in My Pocket app or through the Permits and Licensing Office hotline 619-3984, CHSO hotlines 0918-488-0195, 0927-858-7272, 444-9217, or to Facebook page of the CHSO or email at [email protected] or [email protected]. – Aileen P. Refuerzo