ILOILO City inspected a total of 1,418 boarding houses, apartments and dorms in the metropolis from February 1 to May 31, 2023. The joint inspection team, composed of representatives from the Boarding House Commission (BHC), Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO), City Treasurer's Office, City Health Office (CHO), City Engineer's Office, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), City Environment and Natural Resources Office, and City Tourism and Development Office, deployed 17 inspectors to conduct daily ocular inspections in business establishments, including boarding houses. Per district, some 357 boarding houses in La Paz, 287 in Mandurriao, 283 in Jaro, 183 at city proper, 113 in Arevalo, 100 in Lapuz and 95 in Molo underwent inspection. Of these, 782 have business permits while 632 have none but are in the process of complying. The BHC received five complaints and promptly took action to address the violations and concerns. 'The Boarding House Commission's primary goal is to ensure the safety of borders, so we constantly remind the owners to renew their permits every year. Let us cooperate because the Boarding House Commission assures that we will readily assist in resolving the concerns of the boarding house owners and borders,' BHC head Teddy Tingson said. The requirements for a permit include the official receipt of real property tax payment if the space is privately owned; barangay clearance, lease contract; and a certificate of occupancy. These must be processed at the Office of the Building Official for big structures. A BHC certificate is issued after the owners secure a fire safety inspection certificate from the BFP, sanitary permit to operate from CHO, and a business permit from BPLO.
