By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

THE Department of Pubic Health shut down a restaurant and the makeshift operations of five illegal roadside vendors during inspections held from January to March.
Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin P. Villagomez said the five roadside vendors were caught illegally selling food, usually vegetables, from pickup trucks on Jan. 31 and Feb. 7.
These vendors, he said, were immediately told to stop selling their produce due to serious violations of health and sanitation standards.
Health technician Glenn Camacho said the Bureau of Environmental Health caught these “rolling stores” selling food in various locations without business licenses, sanitary permits, food handler certificates or permits from the Department of Public Lands.
He said they spotted these vendors along roads during inspections from January to March.
Camacho said if these illegal roadside vendors are caught again, they will be fined $500.
D’s Diner in Dandan was ordered closed on March 28 but the owner was allowed to re-open the business on the same day after renewing the restaurant’s sanitary permit.
According to Camacho, the diner’s sanitary permit had expired several months prior to that and, though given a 10-day grace period, the owner still failed to renew the sanitary permit.
In March, the bureau rated some retail, eating and drinking establishments.
McDonald’s in Chalan Laulau and 22 other food and drink establishments received a grade of “A” which according to Camacho is equivalent to 90 to 100 points.
Two restaurants, one in Garapan and one Susupe, and a snack bar in Garapan were graded “B” which means a rating of from 80 to 89.
Only the Yong An Restaurant in Garapan was graded “C” which means a score of from 70 to 79 points.
Camacho recalled that when they inspected the restaurant, they noticed dirty floors, a lack of hot running water and employees who were cooking without wearing the proper attire.
Aside from its regular inspections conducted twice a year, the Bureau of Environmental Health also inspects establishments that are the subject of complaints from the public.