BAGUIO CITY – At least 1,080 business establishments in the city are facing closure for operating without permits or violating sanitation regulations, an official said.

Geraldine Angulo, acting head of the Permits and Licensing Division under the City Mayor's Office, said about 60 percent of the closure orders involve businesses operating without permits or are non-compliant with sanitation standards.

"Most of the affected establishments were tank fabrication shops, brick-making businesses, auto repair shops, eateries, sari-sari (retail) stores, and one junk shop," Angulo said.

The violations were uncovered during inspections in 50 barangays from Jan. 1 to July 3.

Among the violations cited were operating without a business permit, violating Tax Ordinance No. 2000-001 and Presidential Decree No. 856 or the Sanitation Code of the Philippines, through improper garbage disposal, poor housekeeping, clogged drainage canals, debris accumulation, encroachment on public roads, and construction materials obstructing streets.

Some establishments were also found selling products or offering services not covered by their business permits and were advised to apply for additional business lines to comply with regulations, Angulo said.

She said 27 establishments immediately corrected the violations after being notified, while 17 complied after closure orders were issued. Another 18 had already ceased operations before the closure orders could be served.

The city government intensified enforcement of business and sanitation regulations in the last quarter of 2025 to promote fair trade and protect public health and safety.

Inspection efforts were further expanded, particularly among food establishments, following a viral video showing a rodent in a pot of soup served in a buffet restaurant.

"We will continue to conduct inspection and closure operations in more barangays as part of the local government's intensified campaign to improve sanitation, ensure business compliance, and maintain public order throughout the city," Angulo said.

Earlier, the city's sanitation division of the Health Services Office conducted training and briefings for business owners on the sanitation code, emphasizing pest control as a requirement for the issuance of business permits. (With PNA)