Hotels and Malls Priority for Emergency in Dumaguete
The city councilors of Dumaguete City want all hotels and malls to have the first responders during an emergency. Hotels and malls will have first response especially during night time from 6 o’clock in the evening to 6 o’clock in the morning. Businessmen, however, are not so pleased with the decision since it will be costly and may be counterproductive for their part.
Hotel and Mall Emergency in Dumaguete
There is a good number of hotels, inns, guest houses, and dormitories within the city of Dumaguete. City Councilors Jose Victor Imbo and Estanislao Alviola proposed that hotels and mall will have first response and priority during emergencies. This is to ensure the people, especially tourists, will be safe. The ordinance would make the availability of a medical team in a particular hotel and mall a requirement before a business permit will be issued.
The city councils will only provide such service if the business will fulfill the requirement of having a standby medical team within the perimeter of the hotel or mall. Businessmen, on the other hand, are feeling warm about the situation since it will increase the cost of doing business and may even be counterproductive.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that they are proposing that instead of a medical team on standby in each mall and hotel, it would be prudent to train the front desk staff what to do or not do during an emergency.
The presence of a first responder among the hotel staff would suffice provided that the first thing that must be done as part of the protocol is to promptly call for an ambulance or rescue team. The Red Cross volunteer team could be the right answer for such need.
In response, the city council proponents are asking the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Negros Oriental Hotel and Restaurant Association to and even the Red Cross submit a position paper so that another round of consultation could be made.
As of now, nothing is certain and the decision is still being processed.