ILOILO City – The 2 a.m. alcohol curfew will be temporarily suspended during the Dinagyang Festival. Business establishments dispensing alcoholic drinks asked the city government that they be allowed to sell this kind of beverages.
Mayor Jose Espinosa III agreed. The suspension begins on Jan. 25, the second day of the Dinagyang food festival, until the wee hours of Jan. 28.
The two-day highlights of the Dinagyang are on Jan. 26 (Kasadyahan cultural contest) and Jan. 27 (ati-ati tribes competition). The four-day food festival, however, begins on Jan. 24.
Yesterday Espinosa issued Executive Order (EO) 008-2019 suspending EO 146-2017 that imposed the 2 a.m. alcohol curfew.
The alcohol curfew, which started in December 2017, aimed to avert a breakdown of peace and order at night and early morning mostly caused by inebriated people. But for this year’s Dinagyang Festival, the city government is willing to bend its back a little.
Espinosa’s new EO amended Section 4 of EO 146-2017 which exempted hotels/motels and resorts accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT), restaurants as well as convenience stores operating on a 24-hour basis provided they shall not dispense or allow customers to drink alcoholic beverages in their premises from 2 a.m. until 8 a.m. of the same day.
Espinosa signed EO 008-2019 in the presence of businessmen at his office. He then appealed to them to maintain the cleanliness of their respective premises.
Smallville-Boardwalk Business Association Inc. president Jim Velez thanked the city mayor.
“Para waay kita limitasyon sa aton guests sa oras. Nagkadto sila diri para mag-enjoy so we have to entertain them,” Velez said.
Smallville and Boardwalk are popular strips of bars, restaurants, hotels, and discotheques in Barangay San Rafael, Mandurriao district.
When EO 146-2017 was released in December 2017, DOT Region 6 hailed it, saying peace and order were major tourist attractions, too.
Restaurants, bars and nightclubs serving alcohol may be adversely affected by this new policy but not the local tourism industry, according to DOT director Helen Catalbas.
Restaurants and hotels – which almost always have bars – are among the local tourism industry’s key players.
But tourists, be they domestic or foreign, come here not to primarily binge-drink until dawn, said Catalbas.
“They’re here to attend conventions, visit tourist spots, unwind in beaches or inland resorts, visit friends and relatives, etc. Here for only a few days, they know they have very limited time so indi gid na sila magpaaga inom,” she said.
Or if these tourists want to have a drink, they could always order in the hotels and resorts where they are billeted or buy outside and bring the drinks to their rooms, she added.
“We are pushing for a peaceful and orderly tourist destination,” said Catalbas. “We have always been consistent in saying nga peace and order is a major tourist attraction in Iloilo City.”
Violation of EO 146-2017 would entail administrative sanctions which include but is not limited to cancellation of business permits and/or closure of business establishment, or non-renewal of business permit for the subsequent year./PN
