The Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center Task Force (EOC-TF) is reviewing the guidelines in the implementation of the partial alcohol ban and the shortened curfew hours, based on Executive Order No. 84 issued by Mayor Evelio Leonardia on Dec. 31, 2020.
City Administrator Em Ang, executive director and deputy for administration and operations, said yesterday they need to discuss the request of the business community to loosen the rules in selling alcoholic drinks for the night businesses to earn and employ workers.
Ang said there are groups requesting for alcoholic drinks to be allowed during the extended hours in the operations of food businesses.
At present, the selling of alcohol is only allowed from 12 noon to 6 p.m., even if night business for food and recreation was extended until 11 p.m. from the previous 10 p.m.
After 6 p.m., alcoholic drinks are only allowed for private consumption at home.
However, reports have reached the EOC-TF that several restobars and cafés in the city are taking advantage of longer food business hours by serving alcoholic drinks to customers even after 6 p.m.
The EOC also received reports that instead of serving beer or alcoholic drinks in a bottle, they serve it in a container to hide its real content.
“There is a need to balance the consequence of extending the curfew for alcohol to other provisions of the EO 84, particularly in the observance of the minimum health protocols,” Ang said.
The EOC is also considering awaiting the new quarantine status for Bacolod City for the month of February before recommending for amendments in some sections of EO 84, if needed.
Ang reminded the public anew not to be complacent especially with the detection of the new Covid-19 variant, even if Bacolod continues to record only a single digit new positive case for several days. – MML
