MALAYBALAY CITY – Retail water businesses in this city will soon be regulated to ensure that refilling and vending stations adhere to local and national laws.
On July 3, the “Retail Water System Regulation Ordinance of Malaybalay City” was passed, said Councilor Rendon P. Sangalang, committee chairman on health and social welfare services who authored the measure.
Sangalang said once signed by Mayor Ignacio W. Zubiri, the ordinance will empower the City Health Office (CHO) to conduct random inspection on commercial water establishments. It will also empower the CHO to deputize personnel for monitoring purposes, and to impose appropriate penalties on violators.
The ordinance, he said, incorporates relevant local and national laws such as the Drinking Water Act of 2010, and Presidential Decree No. 856, otherwise known as the Health and Sanitation Code of the Philippines.
Compliance to these laws, he said, will be a major requirement in securing business permit for retail water stations, water refilling and vending station businesses.
Sangalang underscored the importance of regulating the sale of water in the city, pointing out the threat of water pollution due to population growth.
“There is a need for the city of Malaybalay to regulate the selling and distribution of drinking water being done by retail water system, water refilling and vending stations for the principal purpose of upholding the health and safety of all consumers,” the councilor said.
Under the ordinance, violators will be penalized P2,000 with a warning for first offense, P3,000 and immediate suspension of business for 15 days for second offense, and revocation of business permit for third offense.
Sangalang said a copy of the ordinance has been submitted to Mayor Zubiri for signature, and will take effect 15 days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation. (Mel B. Madera/PNA)
