DAVAO CITY — The Davao City Council last Tuesday approved a resolution requiring all business establishments to provide a space at the ground floor for elderly pregnant women, persons with disability in cases of emergency.
The proposed law approved on March 10, was authored by Councilor Wigberto Al-Ag, who chairs the committee on social services.
Al-ag said all business establishments like hotels, resorts and the likes should provide space to book pregnant women, family with children five years old and below, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and senior citizens on the first floor in cases of emergencies.
The recent series of earthquakes, according to Al-Ag has prompted him to introduce the ordinance which was immediately supported by Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte. The proposed ordinance stated that “Business establishments and other institutions must ensure that such persons are given priority, not only in basic services but also in terms of securing them when disaster strikes.”
But the proposed ordinance will only offer, but not be force to avail of the low floors.“Bahala na og musugot sila or dili, basta, on the part sa hotel gi-offer nila ang lowest floor (It is up to them if they would accept it or not, as long as the hotel owners have already offered it to them),” he said in an interview.
He added that a waiver will be signed in case they decline to accept the offered rooms. With regards to the online booking, hotel owners will be offering the “lower floor” during check-in.
Once the ordinance become a law, the offices of Person’s with Disabilities OR PWDs, Office of the Senior Citizen’s Affair, and the City Social Services Development Office (CSSDO) for the pregnant — will ensure that it will be implemented and shall also monitor the compliance.
Violators of the law will either face suspension of their business permits -during the first offense but for those who will continuously defy the ordinance they will be fined P5,000 and their license will be revoked.-ezc/NewsLine
