City sets rules on liquor sale and drinking, funeral wakes

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

 

The Iloilo City government issued two executive orders setting restrictions on the sale and consumption of liquor and holding of funeral wakes due to spiraling cases of COVID-19.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas signed EO Nos. 153-D and 173 on Thursday.

EO 173 provides the guidelines in the conduct of wakes and funeral services effective Oct 22.

The order was issued following a report from the Iloilo City COVID team that a COVID-19 positive person infected 26 of 41 close contacts while attending a wake.

EO 173 mandates that funeral wakes shall only be held for three days starting from the time the remains of the deceased are first displayed.

The wake and funeral service shall only allow attendance of the deceased’s immediate family and relatives up to the third degree of consanguinity, those living in the same household as the deceased and a minister if desired.

A logbook must be kept at the wake for possible contact tracing of all visitors. It must reflect the name, address, age, date and time of visit and contact details of the visitors.

The visitors must also observe health protocols such as wearing of face masks, face shield, frequent handwashing, and physical distancing.

Meanwhile, EO 153-D amended EO 153-C which allowed business establishments or activities under Categories II and III in areas placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) to operate at full capacity.

EO 153-C allowed dining and restaurants to operate for dine-in services at 50 to 75 percent capacity subject to Department of Trade and Industry guidelines.

On the other hand, EO 153-D allowed the sale of liquor until 6 pm only. Drinking in public places, however, is still banned.

According to Treñas, Iloilo City’s daily average of confirmed cases are at 53 from Oct 1 to 20, 2020.

On Thursday, the Department of Health reported that Iloilo City logged 75 new cases of COVID-19, the third highest in the country.

“Hence, there is a compelling need to regulate the serving and consumption of liquors and other similar alcoholic drinks as the same encourage close contact among people, thereby defeating the objectives of the community quarantine,” he said.

He also cited a World Health Organization report saying that the primary transmission route of COVID 19 is through person-to-person contact and through direct contact with respiratory droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

“The allowance of drinking sessions outside paves for a situation where individuals spend a significant amount of time with others unmasked, coupled with the common side effects of intoxication where physical distancing can no longer be properly observed. Needless to say, the said circumstance allows for the perfect setting of COVID-19 transmission,” the mayor said.

Treñas said they are “exploring all routes to ease restrictions to jumpstart the economy while balancing the challenges brought about by the rapid surge in cases of community transmission.”