Public hearing on curfew ordinance today

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – A public hearing for an amendment to the curfew ordinance of the city is set today, July 6, 2020.

Councilor Archie Baribar, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) committee on urban planning and development, said that he will conduct a public hearing upon request of the business community.

Earlier, Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive officer Frank Carbon said the business community pushed for amendments to the curfew hours in the city from 10 pm to 4 am to 12 am to 4 am.

Carbon said night businesses contribute about 30 to 40 percent to the total revenues of most establishments in the city.

He said the business community is proposing to the city government to amend the Curfew Ordinance to further stir the local economy.

Baribar, who is the author of the curfew ordinance, said that while they understand the position of the business community, the issue of COVID-19 should also be taken into consideration.

“If the gains overweigh the risk, as a body, the SP will consider the proposal from the business sector,” the councilor said.

He also said that he asked Carbon to present the data and that their figures “should be very sharp so we could see what the gains are and what are the risks.”

If the request of the business community gains the support of the mayor and other city officials, they will amend the Curfew Ordinance, Baribar said.

He further said that in case there will be an amendment, it will go through a public hearing to determine if it will only benefit the business community or the public.