PALAYAN CITY – An ordinance that requires major business establishments in Nueva Ecija to install closed circuit television systems (CCTVs) in an effort against criminality gained support from various sectors.
In a public hearing held at the sangguniang panlalawigan session hall at the Capitol here Tuesday, participants that included bank managers, chiefs of police, business leaders and local government officials agreed that the installation of surveillance cameras will deter or help solve crimes, particularly robberies.
Board Member Raqueliza Agapito, author of the ordinance who led the public hearing, said that among the establishments that will be required to install CCTVs are banks, pawnshops, convenient stores, money exchange shops, internet shops, gasoline stations, money transfer centers, bill payment centers and supermarkets.
Letty Damasco, branch manager of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) raised the issue of bank secrecy since cameras would catch almost everything that happens or transactions the whole day.
But she later conceded that Section 5 of the proposed ordinance answered such concern. Section 5 prohibits "unauthorized and/or unofficial used or viewing of any saved or archived video recording and the unauthorized disclosure or identification of the identity of any person/s or client/s seen on video other than that of the complainant or victim."
A CCTV equipment costs an average of P30,000, a resource person said.
Mayor Crisanto Legaspi of Penaranda said the ordinance would surely help LGUs arrest the peace and order problem. He, however, sought an exemption for low-budgeted businesses such as internet shops with only few computer units.
These shops, he said, have capitalization of less than P100,000 so that a P30,000 CCTV unit could be burdensome.
The ordinance provides maximum penalty of revocation of business permit, six months imprisonment and fine of P5,000 for violators.
No business permits shall be issued or renewed to any of the said businesses without CCTV cameras installed once the ordinance takes effect, Agapito said.
