Most boarding houses inspected had violations – Task Force
Most of the boarding houses inspected last Aug. 11, 2022, incurred violations on safety and sanitation standards.
This was the finding of the composite team from the city government which conducted joint monitoring operations on 15 boarding houses with business permits located in barangays New Lucban, T. Alonzo and ABCR.
The team led by the City Health Services Office (CHSO) under Dr. Rowena Galpo represented by the Sanitation Division under Engr. Charles Bryan Carame said the City Buildings and Architecture Office noted the following problems in most of the boarding houses:
Insufficient width of hallways and obstructed hallway or entrance or exit or stairs; situated within waterway easement; dilapidated materials; no installed railings; no installed grease trap or non-operational sanitary and plumbing fixtures; dilapidated roof gutter; with source of leaks; improper drainage system; unsanitary condition; no installed CCTV and emergency light; non-functional electrical fixtures; dangling electrical wires, busted lightings fixtures; unsafe electrical wirings; and visible cracks on beams and columns.
The Bureau of Fire Department said there only one dormitory had no Fire Security Inspection Certificate and all of the inspected areas complied with their checklist of requirements. Several were noted to have partially obstructed pathways and fire exits while others had limited or zero signage. They had been directed to correct their deficiencies.
The Health Services Office observed that most of the boarding houses lacked solid waste management or separate trash bins for biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes while some buildings needed repairs and general cleaning and regular vermin control. The office also noted that kitchen and dining areas in some of them had limited spaces.
The City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) observed that most of the dormitories and boarding houses do not have parking areas for tenants and that their fire alarms were not working.
One dormitory was discovered to have not renewed its business permit and was immediately issued a notice of violation by the City Permits and Licensing Office. The PLD said one common violation was the non-display of their permit as required by the city of business establishments. It also reiterated the need to comply with minimum public health protocols on signages, thermal scanner, isolation area and on regular disinfection.
As agreed on by the task force members, the inspection will be made a regular activity and that every office will submit to the office of Councilor Tabanda any proposed amendment on Ordinance No. 03, series of 2017.
The composite team was composed of the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD), Smoke-Free Unit, Sanitation Division, Population Division of the Health Services Office (HSO), City Permits and Licensing Division City (CPLD) Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO), City Environment and Parks Office (CEPMO), City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) and Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP) and the office of Coun. Betty Lourdes Tabanda joined the inspection as the chair of the city council Committee on Health and Sanitation, Ecology and Environmental Protection.
More inspections are expected in the coming weeks to cover other barangays.
According to the PLD, the city has 31 dormitories, 21 lodging houses, 1,773 boarding houses, 1,398 apartments and 543 transient houses listed in its registry of permitted establishments. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
