ILOILO City — Nearly 2,000 boarding houses here are operating without business permits, according to city inspection data, raising concerns about safety standards and regulatory compliance in rental establishments widely used by students and workers.
Figures from the Iloilo City Boarding House Commission showed that 1,867 of the 4,139 boarding houses inspected so far were found operating without permits, while 2,272 establishments were confirmed to have valid business permits.
The inspections are part of an intensified effort by city authorities to regulate rental facilities and ensure that boarding houses meet safety and zoning requirements.
“Sige-sige ang aton inspection. May duha pa kita ka districts ang nabilin,” said commission chairman Rammy Guintibano.
Guintibano said several boarding house operators fail to secure permits due to zoning restrictions and incomplete building requirements, particularly the absence of occupancy permits.
“Wala sila business permit kay ang iban nga duta indi pwede sa zoning. Ang iban naman may duta pero kinahanglan pa gid sang occupancy permit,” he explained.
Some boarding houses operate informally with only a few rooms made of light materials, often built by owners as a small source of additional income.
“Ang iban hambal nila pangbulig-bulig lang ukon pangbakal bulong,” Guintibano said.
Authorities also raised alarm over boarding houses located near shoreline areas, which are considered high-risk zones, especially during the rainy season and strong monsoon winds.
“Iban gani ginpasirado na, labi na gid sa mga coastal area. Bal-an man nila nga indi sila ka-kuha permit,” he said.
The commission has coordinated with barangay officials to monitor and prevent the operation of new boarding houses in coastal zones.
“Gin-hambalan gid namon ang mga barangay captain, labi na gid sa coastal areas, nga i-monitor gid nila kag indi na magpatindog sang boarding house,” Guintibano said.
City authorities said structures should maintain a 20- to 40-meter buffer zone from the shoreline, warning that coastal boarding houses could become dangerous once the habagat (southwest monsoon) season begins.
“Delikado gid kun magpatindog boarding house sa coastal areas,” Guintibano warned.
Despite the ongoing inspections, the commission admitted that monitoring all rental facilities remains difficult due to the large number of residential structures across the city.
“Ga-base kami sa hatag nga impormasyon sang barangay captain kag sa records sang amon opisina,” he said.
“Honestly, indi gid namon matultulan tanan kay kadako sang syudad kag kadamo sang structures,” he added.
Barangay officials regularly accompany inspection teams to help identify residential properties being used as boarding houses.
“So far halos tanan nga barangay ga-cooperate gid sa aton. Dako gid ang bulig nila kay kun wala sila, indi man naton ma-identify ang mga boarding houses,” Guintibano said.
Authorities reminded prospective tenants, especially students, to verify whether a boarding house is legally operating before renting.
“Una gid nga tan-awon kung legal — dapat may business permit kag naka-post gid na sa wall,” Guintibano said.
Tenants should also check for basic safety features, including security cameras, fire exits, fire extinguishers, and smoke detectors.
“Importante man nga tan-awon ang katinlo sang boarding house kag kung tawhay ang pag-istaran,” he said.
City authorities said inspections will continue as part of efforts to ensure safe and properly regulated accommodations for boarders across Iloilo City./PN
