LIQUOR BAN LIFTED BUT…

By Joseph B.A. Marzan and Jennifer P. Rendon

Time to get wasted but do so responsibly.

This was the warning of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas as he lifted the liquor ban in the city after nightspots were allowed to operate at limited capacity.

The ban was lifted after Treñas issued Executive Order No. 137-A, Series of 2021 (An Order Lifting Restrictions on the Sale and Public Consumption or Liquor Thereby Amending Section 7 of EO 31 and for Other Purposes).

The sale of liquor would now be allowed in the city without interruption after more than a year of severe restrictions like banning alcohol consumption in public places at night.

Public consumption of liquor is limited only to fully vaccinated persons and establishments are mandated to observe 50 percent indoor capacity and 70 percent outdoor capacity.

“Restaurant and other establishments which offer liquor or any alcoholic beverages shall be permitted to serve the same provided, only fully vaccinated patrons may be accommodated. For this purpose, restaurants and other permitted establishments must require presentation of vaccination cards and proof of identification from their customers before serving,” the order said.

This is the first time that public consumption was allowed once again in the city, after it was previously prohibited under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) back in May 2021.

In a statement, Treñas said the basis for lifting the restrictions was the absence of related mandates from the national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) on alcohol consumption.

Treñas said lifting the ban will allow local businesses to recover from the impacts of the pandemic and “start the genuine recovery of our local economy.”

The mayor also reminded the public to maintain safety protocols to avoid another COVID-19 surge and vehicular accidents due to drunk driving.

“As the father of the city, I also plea that despite opening more opportunities for leisure and entertainment, let us still continue to be vigilant and follow the safety protocols to ensure that we avoid the surge of cases (sic). We do not want to hear news of vehicular accidents because of drunkenness,” he added.

According to the Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO), at least 60 percent of establishments at Smallville Complex in Mandurriao, one of the city’s popular nightlife spots prior to the pandemic, have already been serving drinks.

ILOILO PROVINCE

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. emphasized on Thursday that under Alert Level 2, sale and public consumption of alcohol in the province is still regulated.

Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-035 imposes a liquor ban from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., but Defensor’s previous executive orders have extended these into total bans.

The governor’s current EO No. 646 s. 2021 does not include any provision on liquor bans.

During his press conference, he clarified that public consumption is only allowed in restaurants, bars, videoke places, and other similar establishments.

He referred to the IATF-MEID guidelines which state that only fully vaccinated persons can enter establishments which are only allowed with 50 percent indoor capacity and 70 percent outdoor capacity.

He admitted that it would be a “huge challenge” to implement allowing public consumption of alcohol to fully vaccinated individuals, citing its low vaccination rate.

“We don’t have a liquor ban anymore, only subject to the [capacity rules], and we have additional health protocols to follow mandates on barriers because that works. The implementation by our municipalities is a challenge,” he said.