ILOILO City – To help businesses cope with the economic effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the city government has shortened its curfew hours, which will now be from 12 a.m. to 3 a.m.
In his Executive Order No. 86-D, Mayor Jerry Treñas has shortened the curfew hours from the previous 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting June 15.
Exempted from the curfew are those on work-related trips, emergency cases and those with scheduled flights.
Citing economic reasons, Treñas likewise ended the restriction on alcoholic beverages.
He issued Executive Order No. 086-C, Series of 2020 for this on Monday.
In his latest directive, Treñas said this move aims to gradually ease the city to the “new normal” and slowly revive the local economy.
He, however, reiterated that the liquor ban may be reimposed should there be alcohol-induced violations of laws, without prejudice to the filing of appropriate charges in court against violators.
“Kon ibalik gid man ina [liqour ban] naton after sang GCQ may ara na kita siguro nga mga lesson learned. Kon magtugot gid man kita magbakal sang makahulobog nga ilimnon kinahanglan may tiempo,” Treñas said.
The total lifting of the liquor ban came more than a week after Treñas issued EO 186-A giving the green light to the easing of restrictions on the sale of liquor and allowed the consumption of such only inside houses.
The selling hours for liquor have also been extended up to 8 p.m. daily from the initial 5 p.m.
The liquor ban was first lifted on June 1 when this city transitioned to modified general community quarantine but Treñas initially set the selling up to 5 p.m. only. He also prohibited liquor drinking in public.
He was wary of alcohol-induced disruptions to the city’s peace and order situation, he explained./PN
