Mandaue City to revoke permits of establishments encroaching on sidewalks

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Establishments in Mandaue City that have structures that continue to obstruct sidewalks and parts of public roads may face revocation of their business permits.

In an ordinance approved by the Mandaue City Council last Friday, December 6, 2019, the Business Permit Licensing Office (BPLO) has been tasked to revoke the business permits of establishments that successively violate the city ordinance against illegal structures.

City Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, chairman of the Committee on Transportation, Communication and Public Utilities, said stricter policies would need to be put in place as they observed that those who would violate the city’s Anti-Abuse of Sidewalks Ordinance of 2001 were habitual offenders.

“It is respectfully submitted that as noble as the objectives of the law are, they (offenders) remain elusive because the penalty is unrealistic,” Lumapas said in his explanatory noted.

In the approved ordinance authored by Lumapas, the first time offenders shall be fined P3,000 while those who will be caught for the second time may be fined P5,000, or jailed for up to 15 days or both, depending on the discretion of the court.

The goods that are in the structures that obstruct the sidewalks shall also be confiscated during the second violation.

Vehicles, meanwhile, that will be obstructing the sidewalks shall be towed. The towing fee, the ordinance states, shall be shouldered by the owner of the vehicle.

The City Legal Enforcement Unit (CLEU) and the  Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team) are the main offices tasked to implement the ordinance.

According to Lumapas, the additional measure for the enforcement of the policy is in line with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte that local government units should reclaim and rehabilitate sidewalks and public roads that are being used by private individuals./dbs