WANTED: Boarders

Baguio is the educational center of the north. Here,

you can find different universities offering quality
education like University of the Philippines, University of
Cordilleras, Saint Louis University, University of Baguio
Baguio Central University, Philippine Military cade!y,
Pines City Colleges. "housands of students keep co!ing in
Baguio to attain a high standard education. #ay fro! their
ho!es, they need to have a co!forta$le alternative and that
is to rent a $oarding house #here they can live te!porarily
#hile studying.
"here are a$out %&,''' to (&,''' esti!ated college
students in )''% are here in Baguio. nd appro*i!ately
)',''' $oarding houses are there in the city.
+olando is in his fifth year in college in University
of the Philippines here in Baguio. Like !ost college
students here, he rents a space for te!porary shelter. He is
staying in a $oarding house near his school. He is paying
P,,,'' per !onth for a space in a roo! occupied $y four
persons.
"he house is co!posed of three roo!s in different
si-es. "he roo! he is into has t#o dou$le decker $eds, no
#indo#s, and no enough space for their things. "he door of
the roo! should $e left open #hen their sleeping if they
don.t #ant to die of suffocation. "heir $eds are not /ust
for sleeping $ut also a place for the! to study their
lessons. "he other roo! is occupied $y three tenants, t#o
$oys and a girl. 0n this roo!, the three $oarders put up a
!ini kitchen inside despite the poor ventilation. "here are
t#o s!all #indo#s $ut still not enough to release the heat
and s!ell the cooking has !ade and they rarely opened it to
let the air co!e in.
"he house has a living roo! and kitchen at the sa!e
ti!e. "he sink is clogged $y food leftovers and occupied $y
used kitchen utensils. "he s!ell of rotten and spoiled food
fills the air in the living roo!. 1ater dru!s lined also in
the sa!e roo! for #ater only co!es t#o to three ti!es a
#eek.
"here is a co!!on $athroo! for the eight tenants. "he
pungent s!ell of urine #ill force to finish your $usiness to
get out i!!ediately.
"he o#ner of the said house, they call her 2"ita 3lah4
has $een operating her $oarding house since ,556 and up to
present, reasoned that per!its for the $oarding house #ill
cost her a lot that is #hy she is not acquiring the!.
2Maha$ang proseso kasi yang pagkuha ng per!its. t saka
kailangan ko pa !ag$ayad, #ala nang !atitira sa $ina$ayad ng
!ga $oarders ko. Mura na nga yung singil ko e,4 she said.
7cquiring those per!its is a long process. 0 have to pay
for those8 nothing #ill $e left for !e. "he rent is very
cheap.9
1hen asked a$out the annual inspection, she said that
it rarely reach the!. She re!e!$ered a ti!e #hen the
inspection tea! conducted the process and #arned her to get
all the necessary per!its in due ti!e. :espite the #arning,
she ignored it and refused to co!ply. ;othing happened. She
#as not penali-ed.

The inspection Body
"o protect the students. #elfare and to give the! a
decent shelter #hile a#ay fro! their parents, the city
created an ordinance that #ill inspect $oarding houses every
start of the school year. "he ordinance is created ,5%5.
Last year.s proponent of the said ordinance is councilor
:aniel <ari=as. He said, the safety and convenience of the
students should $e given top priority $y the city
govern!ent, and that conditions of $uildings $eing offered
as housing facilities for students !ust $e in accordance
#ith e*isting la#s, ordinances and policies of the city.
"he !e!$ers of the inspection tea! co!e fro! different
agencies of the local govern!ent. "he co!posite tea! is
co!posed of the chair!an, City Health >fficer or duty
representative,? and !e!$ers, representatives fro! the
Baguio <ire :epart!ent, City Planning and :evelop!ent
>ffice, Pu$lic Utilities and Services >ffice, Co!!ittee on
Health of the Provincial Board, City "reasurer.s >ffice.
"he inspection is done #ithin the /urisdiction of
Baguio City. "he inspection tea! goes house to house. "hey
also investigate co!plaints fro! tenants and o#ners. "hey
check if the $oarding houses have all the necessary per!its
and if they are co!plying #ith the city ordinance.
So!eti!es, the agencies go to inspection not as a co!posite
tea! any!ore $ut as an individual $ody.
>#ners violating the ordinance are given a!ple ti!e to
co!ply #ith the require!ents. 0n case that the o#ners refuse
to co!ply, they issue notice to stop operation.
"he co!!ittee shall report its findings and
reco!!endations to the authorities in order for the $ody to
correct or re!edy so!e pro$le!s and violations that !ight $e
discovered during the inspection.
Effective or Ineffective?
"he inspection is directed to#ards students. #elfare.
0t ai!s to provide the! decent, co!forta$le and conducive
houses. But is it really effective in taking care of the
$oarding students. #elfare@
Mr. velino :iladig, Licensing >fficer 000, said that
the inspection is efficient. lthough they only inspect A'B
of the $oarding houses all over the city and that they are
trying to !a*i!i-e it to A&B.
Sanitation 0nspector Cer!onico Cuan-on Dr. told us
that the inspection is done ,''B around the university $elt
and 5'B all over the city.
+epresentative fro! the <ire :epart!ent, Senior <ire
>fficer 00 Dose 3squesta says 2Sa tingin ko effective talaga
kasi na!i!ini!i-e at $ihira na ang sunog sa Baguio ngayon.
Eung !ga $oarding houses, $asta yung !ga ano 7record9 sa
a!in lahat siguro naiiinspect na!in.4 70 think it
FinspectionG is effective $ecause fire cases are !ini!i-ed
and lessen here in Baguio. 1e are a$le to inspect all
$oarding houses on that are on the record.9
Those who disagree
!e!$er of the co!posite tea! of inspection #ho
refuses to $e identified said, 21alang political #ill, !ay
!ga $atas, !ay !ga ordinances na!an tayoH$akit ka!o, kung
!insan napapa$ayaan o a#ay lang ga#in kasi $aka !ay !ga
!atata!aan na kai$iganH4 7"here.s no political #ill, #e have
la#s, ordinances $ut it is neglected or they /ust don.t #ant
to i!ple!ent it for it !ay har! a friend.9
Brigida ncheta of City Building and rchitecture
>ffice said, there is lack of coordination a!ong the
responsi$le agencies. nd for three years they have not yet
conducted or participated in the inspection. nd that
$oarding houses in the city are not ,''B inspected. >ut of
the &'B that undergone inspection a$out )&BI6'B only co!ply
#ith the require!ents.
How many have permits?
Eear )''J )''& )''%
;o. of
$oarding
houses #ith
per!its
,,A,% ),,(' ),J''
(Source: City Permits and Licensing Office)
>ut of )',''' $oarding houses only ),J'' registered and
o$tained per!its fro! the Per!its and Licensing >ffice in
year )''%. 0t !eans that )(,%'' $oarding houses #ent
unregistered last year.
:espite the inspection, there is a !ini!al increase in
nu!$er of o#ners o$taining per!its. 0n )''&, there #ere 6&J
and )6' #ere added on the list in )''%.
How much the city earns?
"he City "reasurer.s office is the one responsi$le for
the !oney collected fro! $oarding houses.
Eear )''& )''% 7DanI<e$9)''(
0nco!e
generated $y
the city fro!
issued
per!its
5,55),&6A.), ,',)%,,,J(.J% (,(&','5).)(
(Source: City Treasurers Office)
*note: CTO have no records of the collections in year 2!"
How much the city is losing?
Based on the records, the nu!$er of registered $oarding
houses is less than half of the total nu!$er of operating
$oarding houses in the city. "his !eans that the city is
losing !ore than half of the supposed to $e inco!e generated
fro! per!its fees and other charges.
Mini!u! ;o of
$oarders in a
$oarding house
Pay!ent per Month
"otal earnings of
o#ner per year
7,' !os.9
& P,,''' P&','''
<ees?
Mayor.s Per!it <ee? P(&'.''
>ther <ees 7esti!ated9? K P,,'''.''
7i.e Sanitary, Business, P,,(&'.''
Se#erage, <ire 0nspection,
Car$age, Pu$lic Utility Services fees9
3sti!ated Pay!ent? P,(&'.''
* )',''' 7no. of $oarding houses in the
city #ith and #ithout per!its9
P6&,''',''' 7supposed to $e earnings of
the city fro! $oarding houses9
P6&,''','''.'' 7supposed to $e earnings per year9
I P,',)%,,,J(.J% 7generated inco!e fro! $oarding houses in )''%9
P)J,(6A,A&).&J 7lost inco!e of the city due to unregistered
$oarding houses9
:espite the ordinance, the for!ation of inspection
$ody, still #hy !any $oarding house o#ners do not secure
per!its@
:uring our intervie# #ith our source the !entioned so!e
reasons #hy there is !ini!al nu!$er of registering $oarding
house o#ners. "hese are financial constraints of the o#ner,
yielding i!ple!entation of the ordinance. uthorities do not
pay to !uch attention in the strict i!ple!entation of the
la#s and ordinances.
City Ordinance 51
"he local govern!ent of Baguio City created the City
ordinance &,6 that requires all $oarding house o#ners to
co!ply #ith the require!ents stated $y the la# and o$tain or
secure the follo#ing per!its? Sanitary per!its fro! the City
Health Service >ffice, Building per!it fro! City Building
and rchitecture >ffice 7CB>9, per!it fro! the Bureau of
<ire Protection 7B<P9, Mayor.s per!it and $usiness per!it
and license fro! Per!its and Licensing >ffice.
ccording to City >rdinance ;u!$ered &,6 7>rdinance
+egulating the Manage!ent, >peration and Maintenance of
:or!itories, Boarding Houses, Hotels and "ene!ent Houses and
Providing for other Purposes9, Lodging :or!itory 7Boarding
house9 shall !ean a house or $uilding or portion thereof
selected persons are supplied #ith and charged for
acco!!odations $ut not !eals. >ccupants either cook their
o#n foods individually or in groups.
Section ). n approved Business Per!it ;ecessary? ;o
hotel, lodging dor!itory, $oarding dor!itory or tene!ent
house shall $e operated #ithout first o$taining a $usiness
per!it. Such per!it shall specify the !a*i!u! nu!$er of
persons per!itted to d#ell therein #hether !ales or fe!ales,
and #hich shall $e displayed in a conspicuous place in the
said pre!ises8 P+>L0:3:, that those allo#ing less than five
7&9 $oarders !ay not o$tain a $usiness per!it.
certification or a #ritten state!ent !ust $e o$tained
fro! the City 3ngineer to effect that the $uildings operated
for purposes of a dor!itory or $oarding houses do not pose
danger to life and property.
"he safety devices, health facilities, study needs and
other such require!ents as dee!ed necessary shall $e
co!plied #ith $efore a per!it to operate is approved or
issued.
Safety devices?
<ire escapes, fire alar!s, fire e*tinguishers,
telephones, and security guards.
Study needs?
Study roo! and li$rary equipped #ith reading ta$les and
adequate lighting facilities.
Such other require!ents as?
+eceiving roo! and social hall 7receiving roo! !ay $e
converti$le to $eco!e a social hall #hen needed9 should $e
furnished #ith necessary furniture and other ite!s #hich
#ill create the at!osphere of a ho!e a#ay fro! ho!e.
C3;3+L +3MU0+3M3;"S
+"0CL3 , N SU<<0C03;" B"H, ">0L3" ;: S31C3 :0SP>SL
<C0L0"03S "> B3 P+>L0:3:. Convenient and adequate toilet
facilities shall $e provided, located, constructed and
!aintained, and that they shall not $e offensive to the
users nor $eco!e $reeding places for flies, shall have no
leakage or seepage and shall not offer possi$le pollution of
any ad/acent #ater sources. "here shall $e at least one
#ater closet or approved latrine and $athroo! for every ten
7,'9 persons that occupy such pre!ises.
+"0CL3 00 N 1"3+ SUPPLE. 7a9 1ater supplies to
hotels, lodging dor!itories, $oarding dor!itories or
tene!ent house for drinking and ordinary purposes shall $e
adequate and of sanitary quality.
7$9 1alls or springs used as sources of #ater supply
shall $e constructed and located to preclude their pollution
$y seepage fro! cesspools, privies, se#ers, sta$les, or
!anure piles or $y surface drainage. "he #ater fro! such
sources shall $e o$tained $y free gravity flo# or $y !etal
pu!p so arranged as to provide for delivery of #ater of safe
sanitary quality.
7c9 ;o co!!on drinking cup shall $e provided. ll
drinking fountains #hen provided shall $e of sanitary design
and construction.
+"0CL3 L N S;0"+E M0;"3;;C3. Hotels, $oarding
dor!itories, lodging dor!itories and tene!ent houses shall
$e kept in good repair and in clean and sanitary condition
at all ti!es and all filth, household refuse and other #aste
#hich are offensive or in/urious to health shall $e
effectively re!oved everyday.
+"0CL3 L0 N ;0MLS P+>H0B0"3:. :ogs, cats, fo#ls, and
other pets shall not $e kept in hotels, $oarding
dor!itories, lodging dor!itories and tene!ent house e*cept
in appropriate kennels or cages separate fro! living
quarters.
+"0CL3 L00 N C>MMU;0CBL3 :0S3S3S? 7a9 ;o person
kno#n to $e capa$le of trans!itting co!!unica$le diseases
shall $e e!ployed in any hotel, lodging dor!itory, $oarding
dor!itory or tene!ent house in any capacity nor ad!itted
thereto unless properly isolated.
7$9 1hen no physician is in attendance, it shall $e the
duty of the person in charge of any hotel, lodging
dor!itory, $oarding dor!itory or tene!ent house or any
responsi$le person to report i!!ediately to the City Health
>fficer.
7c9 1henever there shall occur in any hotel, lodging
dor!itory, $oarding dor!itory or tene!ent house an out$reak
of suspected food poisoning or any unusual prevalence of any
illness in #hich fever, diarrhea, sore throat, vo!iting,
skin eruption or /aundice is the pro!inent sy!pto!, it shall
$e the duty of the person in charge to report such out$reak
or unusual prevalence of illness to the City Health
>fficers, in person or $y telephone.
+"0CL3 L000 N H3L"H C3+"0<0C"3. ll persons e!ployed
in any hotel, lodging dor!itory, $oarding dor!itory,
tene!ent house in any capacity shall undergo !edical
e*a!ination as required for the issuance of upItoIdate
health certificates.
+"0CL3 0O N P0"CH3; ;: S">+C3. "here shall $e
separate kitchen provided #ith running #ater, paved floor
and a separate #ater closet.
+"0CL3 O N S0Q3 >< +>>MS. ll $uildings erected or
used as hotels, lodging dor!itories, $oarding dor!itories or
tene!ent houses, shall have their roo!s of such si-e that an
air space of not less than fourteen cu$ic !eters shall $e
provide for each applicant.
0n order that the !oral #ellI$eing of fe!ale $oarders
!ay $e safeguarded, all dor!itories and $oarding houses
shall provide for separate quarters for the ladies and the
gentle!en #ith separate and distinct entrances and e*its to
their respective halls, and #hen not feasi$le only one se*
!ay $e ad!itted into the dor!itory or $oarding house.
"here !ust at all ti!es $e a house !other for fe!ale
$oarders, a dor! !aster for !ale $oarders #ho shall $e
charged #ith the active !anage!ent of the dor!itory or
$oarding house, #ho shall act as a !other or father to the
$oarders and #ho shall !aintain a log $ook #hich shall sho#
a!ong others the nu!$er of $oarders or lodgers the dor!itory
or $oarding house has, and the #herea$outs of all $oarders
and lodgers at any ti!e of the day.
0n the case #here the si-e of the dor!itory or $oarding
house does not #arrant the !aintenance of a house !other or
a dor! !aster, the operator shall function as a house !other
or dor! !aster provided further that all dor!itories and
$oarding houses #hich have !ore than ,' fe!ale or !ale
$oarders each shall $e required to have a house !other or
dor! !aster.
ll dor!itories and $oarding houses are required to
prescri$e a set of rules and regulations for the guidance
and co!pliance of their respective $oarders. Such set of
rules and regulations shall at all ti!es $e displayed in a
conspicuous place #ithin the pre!ises. !ong all others,
such set of rules and regulations shall prescri$e 7,9
specific hours of study periods in the evening8 7)9 courtesy
a!ong $oarders8 769 upkeep of roo!s, $eddings, $athroo!s and
toilets8 7J9 $anning into*icating drinks and ga!$ling inside
the pre!ises8 7&9 restriction of visitors to certain hours
of the day and on specific days of the #eek8 7%9 keeping a
log $ook for ti!e out and ti!e in of $oarders8 and 7(9 all
others that are dee!ed necessary for good !anage!ent.
7Provision for recreational andRor educational activities.9
+"0CL3 O0 N S"U:E HLLS. 1hether it is a lodging or
$oarding dor!itory, for fe!ale or !ale students, there shall
$e adequate study halls provided #ith adequate study ta$les,
chairs and lighting facilities.
+"0CL3 O00I 3L0:3;C3 >< >L3+C+>1:0;C. 1hen any
do!estic $uilding or any thereof is ascertained to $e in an
overcro#ded condition $et#een the hours of eleven o.clock at
night and five o.clock the follo#ing !orning, such as
overcro#ding shall $e dee!ed to $e pri!a facie evidence that
such $uilding or part thereof #as let su$let in
contravention of the provision of this Chapter.
+"0CL3 O000 N C>U;"0;C >< >CCUP;"S. "he householder
or tenant, together #ith his fa!ily if any, if residents in
any such tene!ent house, lodging dor!itory, $oarding
dor!itory, or hotel shall $e counted in ascertaining #hether
ascertaining #hether such $uilding or part thereof is in an
overcro#ded condition.
+"0CL3 O0L N P0"CH3; ;>" "> B3 US3: S SL33P0;C +>>M.
ny roo! of a tene!ent house, lodging dor!itory, $oarding ,
or hotel used as a kitchen shall not $e used as a sleeping
roo! and the householder or tenant thereof shall $e
responsi$le that such co!!on kitchen is not to $e used as a
sleeping roo!.
+"0CL3 OL N 3;"+E ;: 0;SP3C"0>; >< H>"3L, L>:C0;C
:>+M0">+03S, B>P+:0;C :>+M0">+03S ;: "3;3M3;" H>US3S.
7!ended Duly ),, ,5A59
"he follo#ing officials are authori-ed to inspect the
facilities of the dor!itories or $oarding houses, a!ending
rticle OL of >rdinance ;r. &,6
a9 City Health >fficer or her authori-ed
representative?
$9 Business Per!it 0nspector or his authori-ed
representative8
c9 Building inspector or his authori-ed
representative?
d9 <ire Chief or his authori-ed representative8
"he a$ove !entioned officials !ust at least $e in group of
t#o or at anyti!e together in entering and inspecting the
facilities of the dor!itory or $oarding house for the
purpose of ascertaining #hether the provisions of >rdinance
;r.&,6 are co!plied #ith.
Be it provided, that the inspection $e done regularly
or at least once every quarter , #ith the City Health
>fficer as lead official in scheduling the i!ple!entation of
the said ordinance.
S3C"0>; ). "he follo#ing penalties shall $e i!posed
upon approval of this ordinance to a!end rticle OL00 of
>rdinance ;r. &,6?
a9 2Hupon conviction thereof shall $e punished $y a
fine not less than <0L3 HU;:+3: P3S>S 7P&''.''9 nor
!ore than >;3 "H>US;: P3S>S7P,,''',''9or $y
i!prison!ent at the discretion of the courtH4
+"0CL3 OL0 N L3CL P+>C3:U+3. 0f any tene!ent house,
lodging dor!itory, $oarding dor!itory or hotel, or portion
thereof, shall $e found to $e in an overcro#ded condition,
the City Health >fficer or her authori-ed representatives
shall order the tenant of the sa!e ti!e, and also if
necessary, the householder, to a$ate such overcro#ding
#ithin a period of one #eek8 such order shall specify the
cu$ic capacity availa$le for ha$itation in such tene!ent
house, lodging dor!itory or hotel, and the nu!$er of persons
#ho !ay $e legally acco!!odated therein . if the said order
is not o$eyed, the City >fficer shall notify the City <iscal
as the case !ay $e for appropriate action thereon.
+"0CL3 OL00 N L0>L"0>;S8 P3;L"03S. ll persons or
corporations #ho shall violate any of the provisions of this
chapter or fail to co!ply there#ith, shall for the first
offense of any nonIco!pliance $e guilty of a !isde!eanor,
and upon conviction thereof shall $e punished $y a fine of
not less than fifty pesos 7P&'.''9 nor !ore than t#o hundred
pesos 7P)''.''9 or $y i!prison!ent for not !ore than si*
!onths, or $y such fine and i!prison!ent at the discretion
of the court. Succeeding offense shall cause the revocation
of the $usiness per!it and closure of such esta$lish!ent8
provided that in case of corporations, partnerships or other
associations, the president or !anager thereof shall $e
cri!inally lia$le.
>#ner of +olando.s $oarding house violated the
provisions of >rdinance &,6. "he lessor does not co!ply #ith
the general require!ents stated in the ordinance.
"his case is not /ust the only case of $oarding house
that is not co!plying #ith #hat the la# requires. 3ven
though inspection is done yearly, not all of the $oarding
houses are checked. nd not all inspected $oarding houses
follo# #hat the inspection tea! suggests.
Mr. :iladig ad!its that they lack !anpo#er to perfor!
the inspection.
Brigida ncheta of City Building and rchitecture
>ffice said that there is a need to create a specific $ody
that #ill handle and focus on the inspection and regulation
of $oarding houses.
Sanitation 0nspector Cuan-on said that there should $e
an initiative fro! the tenants as #ell as to the o#ners to
report and co!plain violations to help the! perfor! their
task efficiently.
!egal "ut #iolators?
"here are cases that o#ners #ith su$Istandard $oarding
houses are a$le to o$tain per!its.
2"hey /ust approve and approve per!its even though
o#ners have a lot of violations,4 ncheta, CB> 0nspection
+epresentative said.
S
Souces?
People "rail? velino :iladig, Licencing >fficer 000
+udy Cenove, Licencing >fficer 0
3ngr. Brigida ncheta, City Building and
rchitecture office
Cer!onico Cuan-on Dr., Sanitation 0nspector
Dose 3squesta, Senior <ire >fficer 00
Coun. :aniel <ari=as
+olando, $oarder
Doan +eyes, $oarder
2"ita 3lah4, $oarding house o#ner
Dennifer Se=eres, $oarding house o#ner
:ocu!ent "rail?City >rdinance &,6
City "reasurer.s <or! ;o. ,I
City "reasurer.s >ffice Checklist of
Pay!ents
Per!its and Licensing >ffice +ecord of
$oarding houses #ith per!its
Sanitation Code of the Philippines 7P.:.A&%9
<ire Code of the Philippines
Building Code of the Philippines
3lectronic "rail?
http?RR###.sunstar.co!.phRstaticR$agR)''JR'(R'6Rne#sRreactiv
ation.of.$ody.to.inspect.$oarding.houses.urged.ht!l
University of the Philippines Baguio
Wanted: Boarders
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Journalism 106
By
rri!a"al# deli!a
$oguera# %aria Fran&ia
pril '# (00)