Flexible curfew hours eyed

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – Councilor Archie Baribar said he will propose flexible curfew hours in amending the Curfew Ordinance of this city.

The amendments were pushed by the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Baribar said the business community requested for the amendment of the Curfew Ordinance from 10 pm to 4 am to 12 am to 4 am.

Baribar, the author of the curfew ordinance, said that during a committee conference Monday, they decided to include in their report a flexible curfew period.

He said that if the classification of Bacolod is General Community Quarantine (GCQ), the curfew will start at 10 pm up to 4 am, if Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) it will start at 11 pm, and if New Normal, it will start at 12 am.

Baribar also said that after July 16, 2020, Bacolod will have a different status, “that is why the amendments will depend on the city’s status as defined by the National Inter-Agency task Force (IATF).”

Baribar said if they can finish the amendment to the ordinance, the curfew will start at 11 pm despite the city being under MGCQ.

“Hopefully by next week, the amended ordinance, as an urgent matter, can be passed on first, second and third reading.”

Baribar said that under the Curfew Ordinance he authored, local violators will be fined P500 and those who live outside Bacolod will be fined P1,000.

But he lamented that transportation is a big problem because they cannot convince the transport group that it is viable for them to operate beyond 8 pm.