CEBU, Philippines – Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza ordered a surprise inspection to verify reports that internet cafes' in Barangay Poblacion committed several violations of City Ordinance 363-2006.
True enough, personnel from the Office of the Mayor found four establishments that lack business permits, have no fire exits and had only one narrow ingress and egress point.
Some customers were also caught surfing pornographic websites in the inspection done with the Lapu-Lapu City Police last Friday.
The establishments inspected by the team included the 88 Tramp Internet Station which listed its business address at Gerenia Bldg., Lopez Jaena St., Poblacion Lapu-Lapu City but is currently located at GY Dela Serna St., Lapu-Lapu City. This is owned by one Ronald P. Tampus and operates without any business permit from the city and failed to acknowledge the transfer of their establishment to another location.
The C3 Quest Internet Café, owned by Christian B. Roma, violated the Sections 4 and 5 of City Ordinance 363-2006 as one of their customers was caught leisurely browsing through a pornographic website inside an individually built close booth. Also, it has no fire exit.
Meanwhile, Arche Net owned by one Romeo P. Ferrer has no business permit and some combustible materials are strewn all over the place, creating a fire hazard. It does not have a fire exit andlacks proper ventilation.
AC Chatters located at F. Martir St., Poblacion, and owned by Calixto Sanoria has several computer workstations enclosed in booths, which is prohibited. Like the other establishment, it also has no fire exit.
They were given five working days to comply with the requirements and so far, only C3 Quest Internet Cafe as well as its sister company RZ Bytes, have complied. (THE FREEMAN)