By Chito Chavez
To further counter lawless elements, the Quezon City government will now compel all business firms in the city to install higher definition cameras for closed circuit television (CCTV) systems.
Quezon city Mayor Herbert Bautista (Photo by Michael Varcas / MANILA BULLETIN)
Mayor Herbert M. Bautista signed an ordinance prescribing minimum CCTV specifications to strengthen and enhance further the city’s fight against all forms of criminality as well aid in crime investigations.
City Ordinance 2695-2018, introduced by Councilors Anthony Peter D. Crisologo and Ranulfo Z. Ludovica, amends Ordinance 2139-2018, also known as “An ordinance mandating business establishments operating within the territorial jurisdiction of Quezon City to install Closed Circuit Television System (CCTV) and prescribing penalties for violations thereof.”
The new ordinance prescribes minimum technical specifications of CCTVs to be installed in establishments, pursuant to Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular No. 2014-119.
CCTV cameras should have a minimum resolution of two megapixels, must be able to capture video footages at 0.5 Lux Illumination, have auto-iris (either fixed or vari-focal) and infrared light emitting diodes (LED) powerful enough to reach a distance of at least 20 meters for clear recording at 0.1 Lux (for areas where there is no sufficient lighting), the ordinance states.
Cameras must have at least 70 degrees lens angle and outdoor camera must be vandal-proof weatherproof casing, it adds.
Video recorder cameras should have a minimum of four camera input, a minimum of 720p video resolution, and 25-30 frames per second (FPS) recording per camera, the measure explains.
They should also have hard disk drive/s with enough capacities to store videos recording for at least one month, including time stamping features; and interface for storage back-up.
For establishments, the ordinance orders that there should also be at least four cameras to be positioned in so-called areas of risk and transactions.
One of the cameras should also be facing the street from the entrance, with the actual number of cameras depending on the size of the establishment and nature of business, the ordinance stipulates.
Also the CCTV systems should have centralized power supply for the video recorder and cameras, appropriate Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to provide standard and reasonable back-up power to the video recorder and its cameras.
The systems should also have a standard compression of H:264, MJPEG; Open Network Video Interface Forum (ONVIF); accessible network; Smart phone or tablet supported for on-site viewing and Power over Ethernet (POE) enabled, the measure states.
The ordinance also states the cameras should be installed at a secured location with maximum area of coverage with recorders mounted on a secured location to protect the footages from theft and destruction while back-up files should be stored in DVD disk for archiving.
The measure orders that dummy CCTV cameras should be installed in conspicuous areas to deter possible criminal acts and to protect real camera and their video footages.
Banks, financial institutions, pawnshops, as well as money lenders, money remittance services, and money changers are now required to install CCTVs.
Shopping malls, supermarkets, movie houses, theaters, hospitals and medical facilities, ports, airports, public transport terminals, places of entertainment, schools, car dealers, gasoline refilling stations, and crime-vulnerable establishments that operates, and handles extensive monetary transactions are likewise required by the new measure.
Julius Avenido of the city’s Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) said no business permit or permit to operate shall be issued or renewed unless these requirements have been met, the measure orders.
A fine amounting to P5,000 shall be imposed on any establishment in operation found to be in violation of the ordinance.