Dad pushes ban on use of light materials in city's commercial zone
By Joel A. Locsin
BACOLOD CITY – A city councilor recently passed an ordinance prohibiting the use of light materials such as nipa, cogon, sawali, bamboo and lawanit as roofing and wall of structures within the commercial and industrial zone here.
City Councilor Catalino Alisbo, author of the ordinance, said the objective of the ordinance is basically for fire prevention since Bacolod City is surrounded with so many commercial establishments nowadays.
The proposed ordinance states that the National Building Code of the Philippines (PD 1096) provides that the building officials are primarily responsible for carrying out the provisions of this code in the field, as well as the enforcement of orders and decisions made in accordance with this law and they are authorized to issue building permits within the territorial area of the City of Bacolod.
He further stressed that the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) as created under Rule VIII, Section 49 of Republic Act No. 6975, otherwise known as Department of Interior and Local Government Act of 1990, have the power to investigate all causes of fire and if necessary, file the proper complaint within the City Prosecutors Office that has jurisdiction of the case.
Catalino said that the two government agencies involved have a basic function once his proposed ordinance passed on final reading.
He cited that the Bureau of Fire Protection in previous years responded to 447 fire calls and just recently two restaurants made of nipa, cogon and sawali materials were burned in the commercial zone of the city.
Alisbo is scheduled to conduct a public hearing among all establishments and any other stakeholders which will be affected by the ordinance particularly houses and restaurants made of indigenous materials.