BACOLOD City – Only 44 out of 175 inspected KTV (karaoke television) bars and restaurants in the city have business and sanitary permits, according to the Bacolod City Police Office’s (BCPO) Women and Children Protection Desk(WCPD).
The WCPD inspected the establishments together with officers from 10 police stations in Bacolod on March 2, 22 and 26.
Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo, officer-in-charge of the BCPO, reported the result of the inspections to Mayor Evelio Leonardia through an April 2 letter – the same letter he gave the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
The inspections were conducted in line with City Ordinance 341, or the ordinance setting a curfew for minors in Bacolod, and the intensified anticrime campaign of the BCPO.
Ebreo said 57 businesses in the city have no business permits, two have no sanitary permits and the remaining 63 were still processing their permit applications.
Ebreo also sent the result of the inspections to Permits and Licensing Division head Stela Rose Rayos.
Rayos said her office was still verifying the figures that Ebreo presented.
She added that last week, her personnel have also conducted a joint inspection on the establishments with the BCPO, the Department of Social Services and Development and the City Health Office.
Rayos said their inspection found that some of the establishments lacking permits were still waiting for their clearances (fire and sanitary, etc.).
Notices were issued to the businesses.
Rayos added that she advised the business owners to fast-track their permit applications.
The Permits and Licensing Division will recommend to the City Legal Office the closure of noncompliant businesses.
A joint inspection will be held again next week, Rayos stressed./PN
