1,080 Baguio businesses face closure; 107 already shut down

Baguio City, Philippines – More than 1,000 business establishments in Baguio City are facing possible closure after they were found operating without the required business permits or violating sanitation regulations, as the city government intensified its enforcement campaign to ensure compliance with local laws and protect public health and safety.

A total of 1,080 Notices of Violation (NOVs) have been issued to erring establishments, while 107 businesses have already been ordered closed for operating without valid business permits and for failing to comply with sanitation and waste management regulations.

With the city's growing population and expanding commercial sector, the local government has stepped up inspections of business establishments to ensure compliance with permit requirements, sanitation standards, and environmental regulations.

According to the Baguio City Public Information Office, the violations were discovered during inspections conducted in 50 barangays from January 1 to July 3.

Acting Permits and Licensing Division Chief Geraldine Angulo, in an interview with a national media outlet, said the affected establishments included tank fabrication shops, brick-making facilities, auto repair shops, eateries, sari-sari stores, and a junk shop.

Inspectors also cited businesses for improper waste disposal, poor sanitation, clogged drainage systems, and operating beyond the scope of their approved business permits.

Angulo said 27 establishments immediately corrected the violations after receiving notices, while 17 others complied only after closure orders had been issued. Another 18 establishments had already ceased operations before the closure orders could be served.

Inspection activities were further intensified, particularly among food establishments, following the viral social media video showing a rodent inside a pot of soup served at a buffet restaurant earlier in June, which raised public concerns over food safety.

The city government said inspections and enforcement operations will continue in more barangays to ensure that business establishments comply with permit requirements, sanitation standards, and public safety regulations.