Bacolod City – The Bacolod City Health Office recommended the temporary stoppage of operation of 61 out of 142 water refilling stations in the city, pending compliance with sanitary and business permits.
Dr. Grace Tan, CHO Environmental and Sanitation Division head, said they have forwarded their recommendation to the Bacolod Permits and Licensing Division to ensure that these establishments comply with the required permits.
Out of the 142 water refilling stations inspected, 81 have been found to have sanitary and business permits as of September 23. They have not yet saturated all the water refilling stations in Bacolod City since they lack personnel, she said.
They cannot account all refilling stations in Bacolod City because some have no names, while there are those operating secretly, she added.
Tan said they have already been conducting routine inspections even before the passage of the resolution authored by Councilor Em Ang.
The resolution “Urging the Office of the Mayor to inspect and test the potability of all water refilling stations in Bacolod and to order the closure those that are in violation of P.D. 856 or The Sanitation Code of the Philippines,” was approved by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod early this month.
Tan said they have no authority to order the closure of water refilling stations operating without permits and it will depend on the PLDO to forward their recommendation to the City Legal Office. They have also recommended those water refilling stations to undergo water analysis.
Those who have not secured permits can ask assistance from sanitary inspectors on how to collect water samples to be sent to laboratories so they can start processing their permits. They were also advised to temporarily stop operating or selling water because they could be held accountable if problems arise, she said.
The CHO has documented one confirmed cholera case in Bacolod City, involving a 37-year-old female, as of Sept. 16. The victim was confined in a hospital but was later released after recovering. (Chrysee Semillano via tvds photo by tvds)