Parties invited to join CCTV law assembly in city

CEBU, Philippines - A convention of all stakeholders and educational institutions in Cebu City would be held to tackle the regulation and installation of surveillance cameras eyed as crime deterrence in Cebu City.

Owners of commercial establishments, colleges and universities and the federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce, and all other chambers in Cebu are invited in the forthcoming assembly.

Mayor Michael Rama said everyone should work to lessen the occurrence of crimes such as robbery, violence, conspiracy, among others.

 “I will repeat, peace and order is everybody’s business. If these crimes will not be taken seriously, their businesses will be highly affected,” he said.

 He said all of city’s stakeholders and institutions should install closed-circuit television cameras within their respective premises.

“Airport, ports and terminal and even big institutions should invest on purchasing quality CCTV cameras not just inside their businesses but also in the outer limits,” he said.

 In a meeting over the weekend, the Regional Peace and Order Council encouraged the enhancement of existing security cameras, especially in port areas and bus terminals that might be used as point of entry for drug operations.

Rama agreed, saying there should be many cameras, especially at the boundaries, for the city to better monitor and regulate the entries of illegal items.

“Di’ gyod na problema but, they have to consider the logistical requirements, support and sustainability. CCTV will serve a purpose in looking for facts and culprits,” he said. 

The CCTV ordinance requires all business establishments and residential subdivisions and condominiums operating in Cebu City to install surveillance cameras in businesses like banks, moneychangers, pawnshops, gas stations, Internet cafés, and even private schools with an annual gross sales of not less than P5 million.

It also includes shopping malls, privately-owned paid parking lots, entrance/exit gates of residential subdivisions and condominiums, and private hospitals.

As contained in the ordinance, an establishment’s CCTV system shall have a recording speed of not less than 30 frames per second, sufficient memory to retain data for at least 30 days, time-stamping feature, with retrieval and viewing functions while in operation; and is provided with independent uninterrupted power supply system.

Violators would be fined P2,000 for first offense; P3,000 for the second offense; and P5,000 for third offense.

Third offense also means closure of the business establishment or revocation of the development permit until such time that the violators are able to comply.  (FREEMAN)