Baguio taho vendors made to pay fire safety fee

BAGUIO, Philippines – While Baguio may have taho (silken taho, sweet syrup and tapioca pearls) in strawberry flavors, their taho may also require fire safety inspection certificates.

A taho vendor showed a Rappler photographer a picture of his fire safety inspection permit.

The taho vendor said 200 of them – those selling taho and other ambulant vendors – were issued such a permit.

He, however, refused to say how much he paid.

The Baguio City Fire Department said, “The amount of Fire Code Fee is dependent on the regulatory fees stated in your assessment. Kindly bring your assessment at the fire station for the fire code fee to be assessed.”

According to the vendor, they used to pay P1,052 every quarter for the special permit as ambulant vendors.

He said that they were told that P702 were for the business tax, P200 for the Mayor’s permit and P150 as garbage fee.

Last August 8, Mayor Mauricio Domogan approved the proposal to reduce their special permit to P350 every quarter.

The taho vendor, however, said they were surprised by this fire safety inspection permit. – Rappler.com