ILOILO City – Mayor Jerry Treñas ordered the closure of two establishments – a restaurant and a coffee shop – in Jaro district operating without valid business permits.
It recently came to Treñas’ attention that these establishments had long been operating without business permit, according to Nestor Canong, chairman of the city’s Task Force on Morals and Values Formation and one of the members of the composite team cracking down erring establishments.
These were the Hungry Belly in Barangay Democracia, Jaro and Little Farmers Coffee at Robinsons Place Jaro.
“Ginlibot ini sila kag ginhambalan makuha permit pero wala gapalati,” said Canong.
He disclosed that 14 more establishments, mostly bars and restaurants, were also facing closure for serving alcoholic drinks – a violation of Treñas’ executive order placing the city under the general community quarantine due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Canong said their recommendations for the closure of these businesses are already up for the approval of the city mayor.
On the other hand, Canong revealed that 61 out of 198 restaurants in the metro failed to comply with the mayor’s Executive Order No. 169 that requires establishments to install barriers on tables.
These establishments, he said, were given enough time to comply but they still failed to.
This prompted the city mayor to call for a meeting with the Iloilo Hotels Resorts and Restaurants Association today.
The city mayor might issue a final appeal or warning to these establishments to comply, said Canong./PN