Council wants erring boarding houses sued

The Cebu City Council wants the city attorney’s office to take legal action against owners of around 40 boarding and lodging houses in the city operating without securing the necessary permits.

In a report dated Aug. 25, the city’s joint inspection team found out that some 40 boarding and lodging houses lack any, or all of the permits from the mayor’s office, office of the building official, and the city’s fire and health departments.

This was based on an inspection conducted during the month of July. Elisa Gozun, officer-in-charge of the business permit section, revealed that of the total 209 boarding and lodging houses in the city, 115 did not comply with the necessary permits.

She said written notices and demand letters were already sent to the owners of these establishments.

An inspection was conducted pursuant to City Council Resolution No. 15-292 dated July 27, directing the city’s joint inspection team to conduct an ocular inspection of all boarding and lodging houses located within the vicinity of all the schools, colleges and universities in the city.

The city council during its regular session last Wednesday referred the matter to the city’s legal office for appropriate action. – Freeman News Service