By Chito Chavez
Passengers trooping back to Metro Manila after their nearly week-long Holy Week break from the provinces complained of filthy comfort rooms and lack of adequate water supply in some of Quezon City’s bus terminals.
Passengers begin to troop to the Araneta Bus Station in Quezon City, April 5, 2019, as they make the most of the long weekend to go to their provinces to observe the coming Holy Week. (MARK BALMORES / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
With these mounting grievances, several councilors asked city officials and concerned government agencies to strictly enforce the provisions of the sanitary code of the Philippines in all business establishments to protect the public from communicable diseases.
Councilors Victor Ferrer Jr. and Allan Benedict Reyes had received complaints that errant establishments both private and public only comply with the sanitary code of the Philippines during the time of inspections and renewal of permits putting the public’s health at great risk.
The complaint said that some bus terminals in the city have poorly maintained and filthy comfort rooms primarily due to normal wear and tear and lack of adequate supply of running water that made it uncomfortable and difficult for the passengers to use them.
At times the flushes are non-functional and the toilet seats are dirty exposing the comfort room users to all forms of skin diseases, infections, and other contagious ailments.
Ferrer immediately appealed to the public to report bus terminals and other establishments that violate the sanitary code of the Philippines vowing that immediate actions will be taken against them.
“This should not be the case. Compliance to the sanitary code should be routine and should not only be done during the renewal of permits and during inspections,’’ Ferrer said.
Ferrer said he will study the possibility of enforcing stiffer sanctions against non-complying owners to ensure the public’s wellness is not put at risk.