Tacloban mayor urges traders to reopen shops, issue provisional receipts for now

TACLOBAN  – The devastated city's businessmen and Tacloban mayor Alfred Romualdez met Wednesday to thresh out measures to hasten resumption of economic activity in the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda, including the temporary issuance of provisional receipts and keeping early business hours.

 

"I would like to advise businesses the Philippine National Police will be very strict especially against looting. So please issue receipts to buyers. If anybody is traveling with goods that don't look normal, there are checkpoints," Romuladez said at the meeting at city hall.

 

The mayor said even provisional receipts with the trader's contact details would do for provisional receipts, so long as police can double-check with the trader where an item in question was bought.
 

He suggested that local traders open and close shop early to lessen the risk and chances of them getting mugged.

 

"They can operate (early) during the day and give enough time for their employees to go home," he said.

 

Looters and opportunists are likely to exploit the present lack of electric power and utilities to burglarize homes, or to buy items at low prices and resell them elsewhere at a profit, Romualdez also said.

 

The mayor suggested that the traders be wary of robbers when they throw out the trash, lest criminals follow them into their houses.

"For the next few weeks lang naman ito (This is just for the next few weeks)," he said.

 

The city government estimates the electricity backbone may be energized Dec. 24.

 

While water utilities have resumed operations, utility workers have to check and repair leaks in water pipes.

 

Some banks have sent to Tacloban new automated teller machines and computers and most of these equipment may be operational by Friday.  — ELR, GMA News