CLO eyes to confiscate furniture items along Lopez-Jaena Street

The Bacolod City Legal Office (CLO) is now planning to confiscate the furniture items displayed at Lopez-Jaena Street in Barangay 27 as it is causing traffic in the area, City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting, Jr., said Thursday, August 24.

Ting said starting next week, they will strictly enforce City Ordinance No. 1009, Series of 2022, or an Ordinance Regulating Vending in the city.

He said for the first offense, violators will be fined P300, P500, and P1,000 for the second and third offenses, respectively.

He added that they will inspect the area again to determine the violators, and if they refuse to remove the furniture items displayed on the road, they will confiscate them by next week.

Ting noted that furniture shop owners should not occupy the road because they cause traffic, especially on Lopez-Jaena Street.

“They should display their furniture items within their shops and not outside their shops,” Ting said.

He said that the furniture shops occupied almost one lane of the road.

Aside from causing traffic, he added they also received complaints that the furniture shops also caused health problems because they are using paint or varnish and it was only displayed on the road.

The CLO will also coordinate with the City Health Office as well as the Permits and Licensing Division for the conduct of the inspection.

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez earlier said the occupants already promised to remove their furniture items once the water meter installed beside the road is removed and it will be passable for the motorists.

He said they are also planning to improve the area so they can showcase their furniture items and, at the same time, address the traffic congestion.

He added that they will determine the owner of the lot so they can develop the area.*