BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The local government unit of Silay City, Negros Occidental issued cease and desist orders to 28 resorts, rest houses and cafes in Barangay Patag.
These establishments failed to secure building and business permits, according to City Administrator Atty. Jose Eduard Davila.
Davila said the structures are located inside the North Negros Natural Park (NNP), which is regulated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Some of them started operating few years ago without any government permit, he added.
“Many of the businesses sit on their own properties that are duly covered by land titles but without any building and business permits,” Davila pointed out.
Earlier, Mayor Mark Golez said almost all of the 36 resorts and establishments located in the city’s mountainous Barangays of Patag and Guimbala-on do not have the necessary permits to operate.
Golez said notices of violations were sent out to the establishment owners, who do not have permission to operate or construct structures in the three areas since they are well within the protected NNNP.
Since they do not have permits, Golez said, the establishments are also not paying any taxes to the government, adding the oldest establishment in the area had been operating since 2004.
The city mayor said although the establishments are highly-popular among local and foreign tourists, they cannot tolerate such violations, pointing out they don’t want the area to become the next “Boracay.”
Golez said since the area where the establishments are located is under the protected area of NNNP, the Protected Area Management Board is the appropriate agency that can act on the matter and also has the authority to issue necessary permits for them to be there./PN
