Mandaue government sets public hearing on fire safety

CEBU, Philippines — The Mandaue City government will conduct a public hearing for a proposed ordinance requiring all residential rental operators to install at least one fire extinguisher in every rented room and register informal rental businesses with the city.

The public hearing will be held on June 11, 2026, 9:30 a.m. at the Mandaue Session Hall.

The measure, authored by Councilor Carlo Fortuna, seeks to strengthen fire safety standards in boarding houses, lodging houses, apartments, dormitories, rooms for rent, bed-spaces, and similar residential accommodations operating within the city.

The proposed measure, to be known as the "Mandaue City Residential Rental Fire Safety Ordinance," requires all owners, operators, administrators, landlords, and landladies of rental accommodations to provide at least one functional fire extinguisher inside every rented room.

According to the ordinance, the requirement will supplement existing provisions under Republic Act No. 9514, or the Fire Code of the Philippines, which already mandates fire extinguishers in common areas and corridors.

Under the proposed ordinance, all formal and informal residential rental operations, including boarding houses, apartments, bedspaces, lodging houses, and subdivided homes offered for rent, will be covered by the regulation.

The proposal also seeks to mandate the registration and formalization of unregistered residential rental businesses.

Owners of informal rental operations would be required to secure the necessary Mayor’s Permit and Fire Safety Inspection Certificate (FSIC) and comply with local business registration requirements.

According to the draft ordinance, the city government identified a regulatory gap involving unregistered rental accommodations that often operate without permits and are not subjected to regular inspections by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO).

The measure would require room-level fire extinguishers to meet BFP standards, be properly mounted in accessible locations, and be maintained in working condition. Instructional signage on the use of fire extinguishers would also be required.

Barangays would be tasked to conduct inventories of residential rental establishments within their jurisdictions, maintain a registry of rental properties, and assist in notifying unregistered operators of compliance requirements.

The proposed ordinance also provides penalties for non-compliance. Violators may face fines ranging from P2,000 to P5,000, suspension or revocation of business permits, and possible closure of rental operations depending on the severity and frequency of violations.

A 90-day grace period is proposed for existing rental establishments to comply with registration and fire safety requirements should the ordinance be enacted.

The city government is encouraging owners, operators, landlords, tenants, and other stakeholders to attend the public hearing to share their views, concerns, and recommendations on the proposed measure.

“Ang inyong tingog importante sa paghim o og mas luwas nga komunidad alang sa tanan,” said Fortuna.

The proposed ordinance was filed on May 25, 2026, and is currently under consideration by the Mandaue City Council. — IHM (CEBU NEWS)