Rama Orders Movie House Owners, Managers to Check Buildings

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama on Wednesday ordered managers of shopping malls and movie houses in the city to inspect their buildings to ensure the safety of shoppers and movie-goers.

Rama met with the mall managers and theater owners after the ceiling of Cinema 5 of Ayala Center Cebu collapsed late Monday night, injuring nine persons.

Rama said mall managers and theater owners should make sure their buildings and movie houses are safe for the public.

Some 300 employees of a business process outsourcing (BPO) firm were inside the Ayala Center Cebu’s Cinema 5 for the launching of their new advertising campaign when the ceiling collapsed.

The Cebu City Office of the Building Official (OBO) has suspended the operation of the movie house.

The OBO said it will inspect the movie house after repairs were done before it can resume operations.

But the Ayala Center management said its four other movie houses are safe and will continue to operate.

Mayor Rama also ordered owners of skyscrapers and other high-rise buildings in the city to coordinate with the fire department to prevent fires.

Rama said the fire department lacks fire ladders to reach tall buildings in the city in cases of fire.

He also ordered the fire department to inspect dormitories and boarding houses to ensure the safety of boarders. (PNA) LAP/EB/RSM