Councilor Dave Tumulak. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
REQUIRING renters to secure clearances before approving their lease would be an added burden to them and in essence, is ‘anti-poor’, says Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak.
Instead, Tumulak wants the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) strengthened so it can monitor any illegal activities in the barangay and report immediately to the police.
“Mag-roving sila og mangutana sa komunidad kung kinsa ang mga namuyo anang mga apartment. (They should roam around the barangay and ask the community who lives in these apartments),” said Tumulak.
Regulating apartment rental can already be done now by the landlords themselves.
“Ang pagregulate sa renters as early as now, mahimo man gyod na, ilabi na kadtong mga nagpaabang og mga kwarto ug mga apartments nga mo-cooperate sila sa atong mga barangay. Duna man gani’y unusual nga kalihokan sa ilang mga renters, they should report immediately sa atong barangay officials,” said Tumulak.
(Regulating renters can be done now by the landlords by cooperating with the barangays. If they notice unusual activities by their renters, they should report immediately.)
Tumulak, chairman of committee on Public Order and Safety, said he has no plans of sponsoring an ordinance regulating apartments and its boarders.
“Unsa ra man ang gamit sa ordinance, penalty ra? Mas maayong diretso sila sa police aron mapriso gyod dayon ang mga nasakpan. (What is the use of the ordinance, for penalty only? It would be better if they go directly to the police who can arrest the perpetrators immediately),” he said.
Ordinance
Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella earlier said he wanted the city council to enact an ordinance that would regulate the leasing of apartments which may entail apartment owners to do a background check on the possible tenants, ask for police clearance or similar document and do a profile of their renters to be submitted to the barangay.
Vice Governor Agnes Magpale shared Labella’s sentiments saying, regulating apartment leasing would help deter drug infestation in the province.
“I totally agree with that. Considering nga karon sa kadaghan sa drugs we urge them to have that [ordinance],” Magpale said.
She added that this will also help prevent foreign and local illegal gambling operators who use private residences as venue for their operations.
But Provincial Board Member Sun Shimura, chairperson of the Committee on Public Safety, said it is not yet necessary for the province to enact such ordinance.
“Para nako, there’s no need of pushing this as an ordinance sa provincial level kay gagmay ra man ni ang mga apartment, mga kwarto, unlike the highly urbanized cities nga dagko gyud [ang mga apartments] ug posible nga ‘gamiton sa lain nga butang nga binuang,” said Shimura
Shimura added that the apartment owners should take the initiative to monitor their lessors and ensure that “they are not doing monkey business in the area.”
“Maybe what we can do is pass a resolution requesting landlords nga apartment owners nga mag-matngon. Pwede na nila mamonitor if naay something fishy,” he said.