Over 50 boarding houses in Iloilo ordered closed

At least 50 boarding houses here were ordered closed as the city government intensified its crackdown on those operating without permits.

Ordered closed were 30 boarding houses in the La Paz district, seven in Mandurriao district, three in Jaro district and 12 in other unidentified districts.

“The Office of the Building Officials, Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions and the Boarding House Commission will continue to conduct inspections of boarding houses around the city,” Mayor Jerry Treñas said.

The city government launched the crackdown after an unregistered boarding house was razed by fire in Barangay San Nicolas, Lapaz district, on February 18.

Two persons died in the fire.The city government is also considering a measure that would require barangay captains to furnish detailed records of all boarding houses in their respective jurisdictions.

“I think the primary source of information [on the existing boarding houses] is the barangay itself. The barangay (villages) should be required to submit an updated inventory of all boarding houses in their jurisdiction,” said Velma Lao, head of the city’s Business Process and Licensing Division (BPLD).

Lao said that the list coming from the barangay would facilitate the establishment of a comprehensive database encompassing all boarding houses in the city’s seven districts.

According to the BPLD, there are 18,987 boarding houses in Iloilo City, and around 15,700 have already renewed their business permits.

Unregistered boarding houses were given 10 days to secure business permits.