Maximum penalty eyed for violation of ordinance on cleanliness

MAYOR Benjamin Magalong wants the imposition of maximum allowable penalty for those violating the city’s ordinance on cleanliness including the establishments neglecting the upkeep of their surroundings.

In the management committee meeting Nov. 25, the mayor tasked City General Services Officer Eugene Buyucan to draft a proposed amendatory ordinance to update the penalty under Ordinance 47 series of 1995.

The draft ordinance will be submitted to the city council for consideration.

Ordinance No. 4795 is entitled, “Amending the Penal Provisions of Ordinance No. 54-88 Entitled ‘An Ordinance Penalizing Illegal Disposal of Refuse, Excrement and Egesta, Removal or Destruction of Receptacles for Refuse and Illegal Obstruction of Waterways and Dumping into Bodies of Water Requiring Certain Persons, Institutions and Establishments to Provide for Receptacles for Refuse to Keep Surroundings Clean and to Pick Up Litters Providing for Amnesty from Prosecution…’”

Section 4 of Ordinance No. 54-88 specifically requires “owners of commercial and industrial establishments such as hotels, restaurants, hospitals, cinema houses, stores, transportation companies, universities, colleges, schools and other similar institutions and/ or establishments of any kind, and owners or administrators of commercial and residential lots shall be obliged to keep their areas and surroundings as well as the abutting roads, drainage canals, curbs and gutters, alleys and other passageways and their immediate premises clean.”

The move stemmed from the mayor’s earlier call for the imposition of outright penalty against business owners who neglect the upkeep of their premises

following the mayor’s observance that some of them do not take the responsibility seriously.

Ordinance No. 471995 deals with the concern albeit it necessitates updating particularly the penal provision.

Ordinance 47-95 metes penalties of P150 fine and/or 2030-day imprisonment for first offense and P250 fine and/or 45day incarceration for second and succeeding offenses.

The mayor said the city should impose the highest allowable penalty to compel residents to comply with the law.

City Legal Officer Melchor Carlos Rabanes said under the Local Government Code, the city may enforce a P5,000 maximum fine under the fines and penalties section.