Tisa barangay chief on closure of siomai house: City should help small businesses, not close them down

A siomai house was closed down by the Cebu City government in Barangay Tisa due to the lack of a business permit. | Photo grabbed from the facebook page of Tisa Daily Bulletin

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The closure of a siomai house in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City on Thursday afternoon, May 23, 2019, surprised and saddened incumbent village chief, South District Councilor-elect Phillip Zafra.

The siomai house, which is considered as one of the pioneer siomai houses in the barangay dating back to year 2000, was ordered closed by the Cebu City government because of the lack of a business permit.

Siomai is one of the delicacies that Barangay Tisa is known for.

Zafra told CDN Digital that it was unfortunate that the shop was closed down because it was one of the tourist-attracting siomai houses in the barangay.

“This is very unfortunate. Per info from the store’s owner, he had complied with all the requirements needed to secure the business permit necessary for the business but the same wasn’t issued to him,” said Zafra in a text message.

Zafra said that so far, it was the only siomai house that has been ordered closed. But he said the move could lower the morale of small entrepreneurs and businesses in the barangay.

Zafra believes that what the city should do is help establishments comply with the needed requirements so they could help empower small entrepreneurs in the city.

“Instead of closing down, we should have helped and assist thriving small entrepreneurs to survive and improve,” he said.

Zafra assured Tisa business owners that he will look into the closure of the siomai house and see what the barangay can do for the industry that has helped provide a “thriving economy” to the barangay. /bmjo