THE Lapu-Lapu City Government is going after Internet cafes that operate without a permit and accept school children during class hours.
Yesterday, a team from City Hall served a closure order against an Internet cafe in Barangay Bankal after receiving a complaint that children played computer games there during class hours and late into the night.
The Internet cafe also operated without a business permit, said Antonio Ortera of City Hall’s We Care task force. (Care stands for City’s Advocacy for Responsible Enterprise.)
It was the second Internet cafe in Lapu-Lapu City to be ordered closed in less than three weeks.
Citizen’s complaint
Ortera’s team served a closure order to Vincent Tanleon, who operated the Internet cafe in Deca 4 Subdivision.
The Internet cafe, which has six coin-operated computers, admitted pupils from Bankal Elementary School during school hours, the closure order said.
“A concerned citizen personally reported to our office that the Internet cafe operated until midnight, and that his children come home late because of this,” said Ortera.
The task force inspected the establishment last Nov. 16. When the task force went to the Internet cafe again around 11 a.m. yesterday, two pupils of Bankal Elementary School were seen playing computer games there.
A letter signed by Bankal Elemenatry School acting principal Zelda Montecillo confirmed that the two boys are enrolled in the school.
Exemption letter
The City has an ordinance prohibiting Internet cafes, billiard halls and other amusement centers from admitting students during school hours.
Ortera said that even if public schools are implementing shifting of classes, students are still not allowed inside Internet cafes from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., unless a letter from the principal is presented exempting students from the rule.
Tanleon was advised to secure a business permit and abide by the ordinance to resume his business.
A closure notice was posted outside his Internet cafe, located in his house, citing violations of City Ordinance 363-2006, or the Internet cafe ordinance, and City Ordinance 432-2007, which requires all business establishments to get a permit from City Hall.
Last Nov. 6, an Internet cafe in Sitio Candagsao, Barangay Talima, Olango Island was also closed for operating without a permit.
Operators of two Internet cafes with coin-operated computers in Sitio Marbeach, Barangay Marigondon were also warned they will be closed if they don’t get a permit from City Hall as soon as possible.