Fifty business establishments were served closure notices and 19 have been shutdown as the Bacolod City government intensifies its crackdown on establishments operating without proper permits.
The directive from Mayor Greg Gasataya aims to ensure a fair economic environment for law-abiding business owners, a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office (BCCO) issued Friday, July 17,said.
City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu said that the ongoing initiative is fundamentally about leveling the playing field, ensuring that honest, tax-paying entrepreneurs who diligently comply with local laws do not face unfair competition from those evading civic obligations.
The enforcement actions began on Thursday when a joint task force composed of the City Legal Office (CLO), the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO), the Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO), and the Bacolod Traffic and Transport Management Department (BTTMD) started serving the closure orders.
This operation follows a generous grace period, as prior notices to comply were initially issued to the establishments beginning May 29, the BCCO said.
Business owners were given a month and a half to process their documentation before any closures were executed under Section 65, Article 20 of City Ordinance No. 565, series of 2011, also known as the Revised Revenue Code of Bacolod City, it said.
During the first day of deployment, two dedicated inspection teams enforced closures on the 19 establishments and retail stalls, which were primarily located inside a major mall in the Upper East Area and around the Villa Angela East Block and Marketplace.
The task force also shut down a well-known grocery store and a major home improvement variety retailer in the area for lacking the necessary permits.
The crackdown continued into Friday, July 17, with the task force shutting down a popular restobar situated along B.S. Aquino Drive.
According to the task force’s report, the establishment was forced to close after operating without proper legal permits, despite having previously received two consecutive notices to process their documents.
While the city is strictly enforcing regulations, the BCCO noted that it is also extending a helping hand to entrepreneurs who wish to formalize their operations.
To streamline compliance, Gasataya recently issued Executive Order No. 81, establishing the Bacolod Business Investment Assistance Desk to assist owners and investors with business permits, occupancy permits, zoning requirements, and other local regulations.
As a result of these supportive measures and open communication, the city has already noted positive compliance, with the CLO allowing nine previously closed establishments to reopen on Friday after their owners signed a formal undertaking, Chiu said.
Chiu added that these businesses have been granted a 15-day grace period to resume retail operations while they finalize the processing of their respective permits with the help of the newly established assistance desk.
The CLO and BPLO are set to continue their operations in the coming days to serve the remaining closure orders. The city government urges all unregistered business operators to immediately formalize their operations and settle their obligations at the Bacolod City Government Center, the BCCO said.
The BCCO said that while strict legal actions and closures will continue for violators, the city stands ready to actively assist any entrepreneur willing to comply.*
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