BOARDING HOUSE COMMISSION HAS A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO

SHOULD WE BE commending the Boarding House Commission of the Iloilo City Government for padlocking 40 boardinghouses that were operating without permits?

Suddenly, the boardinghouse commission is alive and kicking, and doing its job of enforcing city government rules and regulations governing the operation of boardinghouses.

Come to think of it; kun wala ayhan sang sunog with two fatalities in La Paz district on Feb. 18, would the Boarding House Commission have run after these 40 illegally-operating boardinghouses? Haslo!

Quite frankly, the Boarding House Commission is one of the least known offices of the city government. Not everybody knows it exists, and that’s because indi man bati-on kun naga- function gid man bala ini. Tarso!

The main job of the Boarding House Commission is to make sure that all boardinghouses follow the city government’s rules and regulations on their operation. And it can only do this by constantly conducting inspections.

Ang pamangkot: naga- inspection gid man ayhan? Kapila mag- inspection? Once a year? Tonto!

If the commission really does conduct regular inspections, it would have discovered long ago that of the seven boardinghouses affected by the recent La Paz fire, two failed to renew their permits, while three were operating without any permits whatsoever.

Ayon sa aming bubuwit, the La Paz fire started in one of these boardinghouses. We can only surmise that such boardinghouse was a fire hazard.

The La Paz fire and the two deaths could have been prevented had the Boarding House Commission been very strict in enforcing boardinghouse regulations such as ang mga boardinghouses dapat may fire and emergency exits, fire walls, fire extinguishers, and ample water supply, etc.

The Boarding House Commission has a lot of explaining to do.

Say mo, Iloilo City fire marshal, Fire Superintendent Melanie Habawel?