City Hall closes down 4 food firms along Salinas

City Hall closed down yesterday morning at least four food establishments along Salinas Drive in barangay Lahug for their failure to comply with parking lot requirements.

Personnel of the Squatter Prevention, Elimination, and Encroachment Division put up iron railings in front of Goodah Gud, Salinas Grill Restaurant, Dhara Tapsilogan and AA-BBQ Restaurant to implement the closure order. 

Early last month, the city planning office sent notices to the four establishments requiring them to explain why their permits should not be revoked for violating the zoning ordinance.

The city planning office said the four establishments have violated the item on Parking and Loading Space Requirements when their parking spaces were utilized as dining areas.

They were also directed to submit their site development plans for further evaluation and assessment.

The city planning office further said that should the establishments fail to comply with the notices, they can be temporarily refrained from continuing their business operations.

But Greg Mejia, general manager of Goodah Gud, told The Freeman that the 15-day period is a short time to comply with the requirements of the city. He also contended that not all who park their vehicles in front of Goodah Gud are their customers.

In fact, he said they chose to stop operations on January 23 only to show the city that they are willing to cooperate. Goodah Gud has 300 to 500 customers daily.

“Just to show to them na marunong kaming umintindi, na marunong kaming mag-cooperate,” Mejia said.

“Masyadong maiksi yung preparations…we feel like we’re being harassed pero ayaw na n’yang magkaroon ng problema sa gobyerno,” Mejia added, referring to the restaurant owner who decided to just close it down. 

Their concern now, Mejia said, is the welfare of their more than 50 employees who lost their jobs because of the closure.

Mejia clarified that for the past five years, they have actually been renting the property beside the restaurant for parking. However, an internal conflict among the owners of the lot had compromised the lease.

The management of AA-BBQ, which has been operating for quite sometime in the area, opted not to comment on the closure. — Joeberth M. Ocao/LPM