The Quezon City government will also require business establishments near and along riverbanks and creeks, particularly factories, to install closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) to assist the city disaster risk reduction management council in monitoring the water level in these danger zones.
QC Mayor Herbert Bautista asked Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) chief Pacifico Maghacot to order the businesses along riverbanks and creeks, such as factories and piggeries, to immediately install the city-required CCTV in their premises to be able to renew their business permit.
QC government starting next year will strictly implement the no-CCTV no business permit policy in line with the city’s peace and order campaign, particularly against carnapping and kidnapping.
However, the mayor said that CCTV will also be used by the city for disaster preparedness purposes, thus requiring business establishments near and along riverbanks and creeks to immediately install CCTV.
“CCTV will not only be used as security purpose against lawlessness but also as a safety measure against disasters that might come, particularly this rainy season,” the mayor said.
At the same time, the mayor will soon ask the city’s 142 barangays to also set-up CCTV cameras using their disaster fund once the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has given the green light.
The mayor reminded business establishments, particularly the high-risk ones such as car dealership stores (both high-end and trade-ins), as well as schools, convenience stores, gasoline stations and banks to comply with the CCTV requirement or face non-renewal of their business permit.
The BPLO, he added, will start this coming August a routine inspection of their compliance with the CCTV requirement. Only those business establishments who comply with CCTV will be given business permit for 2012. -30- Maureen Quinones, PAISO
