THE City Government of Bacolod is now conducting an investigation on the controversial "twerking" video that went viral on social media over the weekend.
Councilor Em Ang, chairperson of the City Councilor committee on tourism, said on Tuesday, September 4, the joint inspection team composed of Permits and Licensing Division, Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD), Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD), and officials of Barangay 5 inspected the Peats and Beans Restobar at Ramos Street in Barangay 5 Monday night, September 3.
She said it was determined that the restobar has no business permit and the owner was given three days to comply with the requirements or else their bar will be closed.
"If they fail to comply within three days, the City Government will shut down their business because if you do not have a business permit, you are not supposed to operate at all," she added.
The "twerking" video, which was posted on Facebook, showed several female teenagers giving a guy a lap dance.
"Twerking" is a provocative dance performed by moving the hips rapidly back and forth while standing with the feet apart and raising and lowering the body in a squatting position.
The video has already garnered mixed reactions from netizens.
Aside from operating without a business permit, Ang said the restobar also failed to secure a sanitary permit, which is necessary to ensure the health of the customers.
She said she will request the sanitary inspectors to visit the restobar, which was allegedly owned by Jojo Santander, to determine its other violations.
In the aspect of tourism, Ang said that the viral video has no direct effect on the city's tourism program, but it also contributes a bad image to the city.
Ang believed that the action of the female teenagers was an effect the continued promotion of the entertainment industries, which the actors or actresses were performing these kinds of dance.
"It is the trend and they feel it's cool to follow the dance steps, but it's not good. In dancing per see, there's nothing illegal about it, but there is something immoral maybe that is not acceptable socially and morally,' Ang said.
She said the City Government will determine if there were minors involved, some of them were allegedly students, and the possible sanction of the restobar owner for serving intoxicating liquor to the minors.
"If they are legal of age, it's their choice of doing it, but if they are minors, then we have the responsibility to protect our minors," Ang added.
Ang encouraged the parents to always monitor the activity of their children, especially the minors, including the background of their friends to avoid similar incidents.
