TO INSTILL discipline among customers and operators of eating establishments in Cebu City, a councilor proposed adding a penal provision to an ordinance that mandates the observance of the clean-as-you-go (Claygo) ordinance.
City Councilor Edgardo “Jaypee” Labella II has proposed an amendatory ordinance, revising Sections 7 and 11 of City Ordinance 2709, which is also known as an ordinance requiring the observance of Claygo in eating establishments.
The ordinance, he said, helps eating establishments save time for their employees. Under existing ordinance, Section 7 penalizes owners, operators, and managers of eating establishments that failed to impose measures that urge their customers or patrons to practice Claygo.
However, Labella included in his proposal individuals who fail or refuse to follow the ordinance.
Violators will be fined P500 per violation.
For an individual violator, a citation ticket will be issued by the apprehending officer with a fine payable to the Cebu City Treasurer’s Office within seven days.
Failure to pay within the specified period will result in the filing of a complaint in court, increasing the fine to P1,000.
If the violator has committed the offense for the third time, the person will be obliged to render eight hours of community service.
Meanwhile, the owners, operators and managers of eating establishments will also be penalized. It is P500 for the first offense, P1,000 for the second offense, and P1,500 for the third offense if they fail to install signage and other measures that promote Claygo.
Eating establishments that fail to institute these measures will be fined P1,000 and given a 15-day period to comply. If they fail the second inspection, another P2,000 penalty will be imposed. After the third inspection, a fine of P3,000 and the suspension of the business license will be applied. The suspension will only be lifted once compliance has been determined by the apprehending officer.
The suspension will only be lifted once the apprehending officer has verified compliance.
Labella has proposed that the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office join the City Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team in formulating the Implementing Rules and Regulations and serving as an additional enforcing agency.
Public hearing
A public hearing on Labella’s proposed amendments was held during the City Council’s regular session on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.
Lydwenna Eco, deputy general manager of the Cebu2World Development Inc., a subsidiary of Megawide Construction Corp. that handles the Carbon redevelopment project, commended the City Council for the proposed amendment.
She said the Claygo policy has been implemented at the Barracks, Freedom Park, and the interim market at the Carbon Public Market.
Eco urged Labella to add provisions that will enhance the information and education campaign to inform the people, particularly students, of the importance of the clean-as-you-go principle.
Eco said implementing the Claygo principle and other similar initiatives would be a huge cultural change for the Cebuanos. However, she stressed that once cleanliness was achieved and maintained, it would discourage the indiscriminate throwing of garbage.
For his part, Christopher Boño of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry suggested the inclusion of a provision on incentives for commercial establishments that excel in the observance of the Claygo policy.
Labella said he will consider adding tax incentives for commercial establishments that implement Claygo. / EHP