The Cebu City Council passed on Tuesday a resolution by Councilor Jerry Guardo calling for a mandatory inspection of all commercial establishments in the city.
The approved resolution directs the Office of the Building Officials (OBO) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to inspection commercial establishments as a prerequisite for the renewal of its owners business permits.
A copy of their inspection report is to be submitted to the office of the mayor for review.
Guardo said that the joint inspection will especially look into the establishments fire alarm and sprinkler systems to deter the occurrence of a fire similar to the one which burned down the Metro Department Store at the Cebu Business Park, late night on January 5.
City firefighters, he said, admitted during an executive session which the council called on January 16 on their lack of equipment to respond to fire incidents on high-rise buildings.
“There is in fact an immediate need to adopt and implement preventive and safety precautionary measures to prevent a similar fire incident (to the Metro Department Store) involving high-rise buildings,” Guardo said.