By Mariela Angella Oladive
Approximately 40 boarding houses in Iloilo City are facing closure after the local government issued orders for their shutdown due to the absence of necessary permits.
Mayor Jerry Treñas signed the closure orders for infractions of Section 53 and 240 of Local Tax Ordinance No. 2007-16, and Section 2 of Regulation Ordinance No. 00-01.
These ordinances mandate that all business entities must secure business permits from the Investment and Business Permit/Licensing Division and fulfill the required taxes, fees, and charges.
Following the issuance of the closure orders, personnel from various city departments, including the Investment Services, Business Permits, and Licensing Division, in collaboration with the Boarding House Commission, began enforcement action against the non-compliant boarding houses.
The enforcement covered boarding houses throughout Iloilo City, notably in the La Paz, Mandurriao, and Jaro districts.
In a statement, Mayor Treñas highlighted the city’s dedication to safety and the proactive steps being taken to avert similar situations in the future.
Operators of boarding houses have been called upon to adhere to the regulations and promptly secure the necessary permits to continue their operations legally.
The Boarding House Commission has noted that as of November 2023, there were over 2,600 accommodation establishments in the city, with about 1,200 identified as operating without permits.
The La Paz district recorded the most significant number of unpermitted operations, with 232 violations, followed closely by the city proper and Jaro district with 215 each. Molo had 212, Mandurriao reported 200, Lapuz had 97, and Arevalo listed 62.
This stringent enforcement against unlicensed boarding houses comes in the wake of a devastating fire on February 18 in Barangay San Nicolas, La Paz, where two residents tragically perished.
The boarding house where the incident occurred was found to be operating with an expired permit, prompting authorities to intensify their crackdown on similar establishments.
