INTERIOR Secretary Eduardo Año yesterday urged local government units to pass ordinances that will require establishments to install a closed-circuit television (CCTV) system in their location’s vicinity prior to the approval of their application for business permits.
Año said public safety should be prioritized by the cities and municipalities and “CCTVs are applicable technologies that should be utilized to keep criminal activities and their perpetrators at bay.”
Año said the ordinance should specifically cover establishments that cater to large numbers of customers and those which are “risk or hazard prone.”
“Now is the right time to require establishments to install CCTVs. People are going out of their homes and in various establishments nowadays due to lower COVID-19 cases and a CCTV system is a powerful tool that can aid LGUs in ensuring public safety, deterring crimes and identifying and apprehending culprits,” said Año.
Año said the LGUs, especially their city and town councils, have a big role to play in the fight against criminality.
In a memorandum circular, Año said among the establishments that should be required to install CCTVs prior to issuance of business permits are financial establishments such as banks, pawnshops, money lenders, and money remittance services and the likes.
Also covered are business establishments with several branches and chains; shopping malls, shopping centers, supermarkets, wet markets; and medical facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and laboratories.
Año said the ordinance should also cover entertainment places such as theaters, movie houses, carnivals, internet cafes, arcades and other areas that draw considerable number of customers; airports, public transportation terminals, parking lots and other similar establishments that cater to large numbers of vehicles; car dealerships, gasoline stations, vehicle maintenance/service stations; and other similar business establishments deemed necessary by the LGUs.
“The business establishments have a big role to play in maintaining peace and order in the communities by prioritizing the installation of CCTV in their areas. We must work in synergy towards a more peaceful community,” said Año.
Año noted that CCTV footages have complemented police investigation and have led to resolution of many cases.
“We have already made significant strides in lowering the country’s crime rate in the last five years. It is imperative that we sustain this progress and enforce innovative policies that can further improve peace and order in our communities,” he said.
DILG undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said CCTV cameras should meet the upgraded guidelines set by the national government and the DILG.
“We encounter instances wherein audio or video quality make it hard to discern offenders, which is why we are urging the LGUs to set up upgraded CCTVs for the peace of mind of our fellow Filipinos,” Malaya said.
Malaya said the CCTV system should have minimum high-definition analog or at least a two-megapixel digital camera.
