Five establishments in Makati were recently closed down by the city government for operating without business permits and lack of working permits of employees which are in violation of City Ordinance No. 2004-A-025, or the Revised Makati Revenue Code.
Based on a report from the Business Permits Office (BPO), among those closed were four bars and restaurants and one computer retail shop which have brought the total number of establishments closed down since January of this year to around 50.
The BPO reported that Ukkokei restaurant under the company name Valentia Inc. in San Lorenzo Village was found operating without a valid business permit, while its 25 employees failed to produce the required individual working permit from city hall. One of them, a Japanese chef, also had no working visa.
The other establishments closed down due to lack of business permits were Cable Car bar and restaurant on Arnaiz Avenue in San Lorenzo Village, Tajimaya Charcoal Grill, UCC Café Terrace and Think & Beyond computer retail shop at the Rockwell Center.
Earlier, Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay had ordered city inspectors to intensify their efforts to check on the legitimacy of business establishments and their compliance with city ordinances and laws governing them, following reports from concerned citizens.
“We are reminding business owners of their obligation to secure the necessary permits before starting their operations, and to ensure that all the employees they hire already have a working permit from city hall,” Binay said.
The mayor also called on business operators and managers to comply with the required submission of a certified list of employees, whether casual, temporary, probationary or permanent basis, to the BPO or before the 20th of January or on or before the 20th of July and every year thereafter.
“This particular provision of the ordinance primarily intends to promote and protect the rights of workers to just compensation and humane treatment by employers. It is also a safeguard against child labor and prostitution,” Binay said.
Failure to comply with the above provision will be charged with a fine of not exceeding P5,000, without prejudice to the revocation of existing business permit and/or closure of the establishment at the discretion of the Mayor.
Under the ordinance, night and day clubs, cocktail lounges, bars, cabarets, sauna bath houses and other similar places of amusement shall, under no circumstances, hire hostesses, waitresses and waiters, entertainers, or hospitality girls below 18 years of age. To apply for an Individual Mayor’s Permit, those 18 and above may present their respective baptismal or authenticated birth certificates duly issued by the City Civil Registrar or National Statistics Office.  Applicants are also required to obtain a health certificate from the Makati Health Department.