Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama will issue more notices to non-bank financial businesses, which include money transfer agents, requiring them to follow stringent security measures.
The City Treasurer’s Office endorsed notices to 79 establishments that were found to neither have security guards nor closed-circuit television cameras to the City Legal Office for action.
Those flagged include more than 20 branches of pawnshops, couriers, money changers and other similar businesses.
“This should serve as a warning to all businesses operating within the city similar to LBC, to put up adequate security measures,” City Attorney Jerone Castillo said.
The notices just need Rama’s signature to make it official. The mayor is scheduled to arrive today from Manila.
Revoked
In a teleconference with reporters yesterday, Rama said he will immediately sign the notices when he gets back.
Castillo declined to name the establishments pending the issuance of the notices.
Castillo said it is incumbent upon business establishments to install CCTV cameras and employ security guards to.
The notice invoked Paragraph 2 of the business permits issued by City Hall which states that the permit can be revoked once there are violations of laws or ordinances of general or public interest.
“(There is a need to) ensure the security and safety of the transacting public and the constituents of the City of Cebu in particular,” the notice reads.
Academic
The establishments will be given three days from receipt of the notice to comply with the security requirements. They will also be made to explain why their business permits should not be revoked.
Castillo said they will verify the status of the 16 LBC branches that were earlier issued the notices to put up security measures.
“We received reports from the treasurer’s office that LBC branches already have security guards. We will have a team to verify and check. If indeed they have, then that will render the notices academic,” Castillo said.
Rama earlier warned the LBC branches to install security cameras and hire guards or else face temporary closure.