Internet café operating illegally in city condo

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Treasurer’s Office has discovered an illegal operation of an internet cafe inside the city’s condominium along Natalio Bacalso Avenue.

City Treasurer Emma Villarete said the personnel of the Business Tax Mapping & Inspection Division (BTID) inspected the Cebu City Hillyland Dormitory last March 6 after the CTO received a report about the internet operation inside the condominium.

It was the office of Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña who requested the City Treasurer’s Office to conduct the ocular inspection because of reports of the illegal operations of internet that directly getting its power source from the city’s connection.

CTO inspector Arnulfo Apurado reported that there are 12 units of computer machines being operated inside a room on the ground floor adjacent to the condominium’s administration room.

Aside from the illegal internet cafe operations, the inspecting team also discovered that there is a canteen operating inside the building.

Juanita Monina Paires, head of the Business Tax Mapping and Inspection Division, said the caretaker of the internet cafe and canteen has already been issued with Notices to Comply and given five working days to proceed to the CTO in order to secure the needed permits.

Mayor Michael Rama said he is not against operating an internet cafe within the city condominium because it will answer the needs of the students without having to go outside, particularly during nighttime.

The city condominium has been converted into a dormitory for the students coming from the mountain barangays of the city who are required only to pay P300 lodging fee every month.

According to Rama, while he may not be against the operation of the internet cafe and canteen inside the condominium, its operator should first secure the necessary permits.

However, he said the issue of where the internet cafe and canteen gets its power supply is already another matter. – (FREEMAN)