Unless complaint is filed, city won't touch eateries

As long as there is no complaint against food establishments in the city that reportedly do not have sanitary permits, these establishments can continue operating, said Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday.

Osmeña said that whatever hazards these establishments have created would be considered at a tolerable level unless a formal complaint would be leveled against an establishment.

In its 2004 annual report, the Field Health Service Information System disclosed that only 71.85 percent or 5,104 of the 7,104 food establishments in Cebu City operate with sanitary permits from the Department of Health.

Likewise, of the 45,711 food handlers, only 83 percent or at least 38,114 of the city's food establishments have secured health certificates, the 2004 DOH FHSIS report also stated.

But Osmeña said that these small-time businesses have even solved some problems of the city considering that the urban poor usually go to these establishments to buy food. He said that while he "technically" should order the closure of these establishments without sanitary permits, there would be more people who cannot afford to buy food from more expensive restaurants.

Cebu City health department chief Dr. Fe Cabugao had said most of the violators of the city's sanitary code are eatery owners who also operate video karaoke machines. She, however, assured that personnel of the CHD's sanitary environmental division are constantly monitoring all food establishments in the city.

Those who still fail to comply with the necessary requirements despite the grace period accorded to them are referred to the city legal office for appropriate action.

Meanwhile, the city's market authority confiscated 300 defective weighing scales in an operation conducted in the city's public markets for the past five months.

City Market Administrator Elpidio dela Victoria Jr. said unless a compromise payment of P500 would be made in accordance with the City Tax Ordinance, charges would have to be filed against those from whom the weighing scales were confiscated.

The weighing scales were seized from sidewalk vendors along D. Jakosalem, Escaño, Manalili, and Plaridel streets and Taboan, Carbon, Pasil, and Pardo public markets.

Further investigation also revealed that there are individuals who rent out their weighing scales to ambulant vendors, which makes it more difficult for the market authority to run after these individuals.

It can be recalled that 702 defective weighing scales were destroyed in April this year after a similar operation was conducted from June 2003 to March 2005.