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Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan is pushing for the swift passage of a measure that aims to mandate business establishments to install closed-circuit television (CCTVs) systems in and around their premises.

Under House Bill (HB) No. 8068, business firms with 20 or more workers or those with transactions amounting to at least P50,000 a day are required to install CCTV cameras in their establishment’s entrances and exits, inside their workplaces, and other areas within their premises. 

Yamsuan, who is a former assistant secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), stressed the necessity of CCTV cameras and other modern tools to “help keep the public safe and aid police investigators in solving crimes”.

He noted that back in 2022, the DILG issued a memorandum circular urging cities and municipalities to enact ordinances that prescribed the installation of CCTV systems for certain business establishments.
 
“HB No.8068 takes this one step further by making this a requirement, rather than a preference, for all businesses that have more than 20 employees or those engaged in large transactions on a daily basis,” Yamsuan said in a statement.

“The private sector can play a key role in helping law enforcers secure public places and prevent crime by installing CCTV cameras in strategic locations,” he added.

“The goal is to make CCTV cameras effective tools in helping deter, detect and solve crimes”.

The establishments covered by the measure include, but are not limited to: restaurants, hospitals, malls, shopping centers, movie houses, theaters, supermarkets, groceries, entertainment centers, office buildings, warehouses, and cockpit arenas. 

With this bill, CCTV cameras are a mandatory requirement before business permits or permits to operate are issued.

Business establishments shall inform the public about the installation and use of CCTV cameras in their premises through written notices prominently displaced at their entrances.  
 
Under HB No. 8068, the owners or managers of the business are required to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of the video feeds and recordings obtained.
 
The only allowable circumstances for the viewing, copying, and disclosure of these CCTV recordings are to a law enforcement agency in connection with the investigation or prosecution of an offense punishable by law or regulation, or in connection with any pending criminal proceeding. 

Business establishments that shall violate the provisions of the proposed legislation will face imprisonment not exceeding six months, or a fine not exceeding P10,000, or both, “without prejudice to other civil or criminal liabilities that may arise” from such violations.
 
The DILG and the local government units (LGUs) with jurisdiction over the business establishment are tasked to implement the bill’s provisions.