BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – A business group here seeks to scrap two of the city’s coronavirus curbs – daily curfew and liquor ban.
Relaxing these restrictions would further give way to the recovery of the metro’s pandemic-battered economy, said Frank Carbon, executive officer of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI).
Yesterday, he announced their intention to submit a position paper to Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
Among MBCCI’s proposals is the complete scrapping of the 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew.
The group also suggested lifting the prohibition on the sale and consumption of liquor. Establishments would only be allowed to dispense alcoholic beverages to residents aged 22 years old and above.
At present, the city government set selling hours for liquor at 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Ending these restrictions, according to Carbon, would gradually ease the city to the “new normal” and slowly revive the local economy.
He lamented the latest move of President Rodrigo Duterte to reject the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force allowing minors aged between 10 to 14 years old to go outside in areas under modified general enhanced community quarantine.
“That could have helped local businesses since some families would bring their children along when they go out,” Carbon said.
For his part, Leonardia said the procurement of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines was a top priority in the city government’s economic recovery program.
“When we talk about economic recovery, we should start with government spending,” the mayor said.
The city government allotted P300 million to buy 650,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines scheduled for delivery in the third quarter this year.
“Bacolod will be back in business and will continue to be among the most progressive cities in the country because we have the fundamentals already established here,” Leonardia said.
Since recording started in March last year, Bacolod logged 128 active infections out of 5,723 confirmed cases./PN