BACOLOD City – The City Health Office (CHO) of Bacolod highly encourages the public to only buy potable water from refilling stations with business permits.
Grace Tan, chief of CHO’s Environment Sanitation Division, said there were still quite a few water refilling stations here operating without permits.
“In order to safeguard consumers, they need to check first if [the establishment] has a business permit,” she said.
The Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO), together with the CHO, is currently inspecting the compliance of all business establishments with all necessary permits and documentation.
One of the requirements for securing a business permit is CHO clearance.
Tan said on Friday that the city met with the Association of Water Refilling Stations to reorganize and formalize its membership in the Bacolod City Water Supply and Quality Monitoring Council.
Based on the 2023 record of the BPLO, 250 water refilling stations in the city have permits.
“There are plans and activities for the water refilling stations with the Department of Health, so it will be easy for them to organize,” Tan said.
The council shall develop and implement a plan that includes the parameters, sample frequency, and action plans for corrective and preventive actions consistent with the 2007 Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water, the councilor added./PN
