ILOILO CITY – The city government here has loosened the limitations on the sale and consumption of liquor and other alcoholic beverages.
Yesterday, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas issued Executive Order No. 049-C allowing longer hours for the selling and public consumption of liquor in bars, night clubs, disco bars, restaurants, resto-bars, and other similar establishments from the previous 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. to 4 a.m.
In amending the previous EO, the city mayor cited that the Iloilo Bar Owners Association (IBAO), in a conference with him and Iloilo City Task Force on Moral and Values Formation held Dec. 28, reported compliance of member-establishments in implementing measures of their security plan and personnel to obviate incidents which transgress maintenance of peace and order in the city.
“The city will allow establishments that underwent security trainings to allow the sale and consumption of liquor until 4:00 a.m. as they exerted an effort to ensure public safety,” said Treñas.
The EO emphasized that only those establishments that underwent security trainings pertained in the undertaking dated Dec. 15, 2022, and operating with security complement, personnel and bouncers who have secured a certificate evidencing completion of the necessary security training are permitted to sell and allow public consumption of any form of liquor or alcoholic beverages from 8 a.m. to 4 a.m.
It further stressed that minimum health protocols such as adequate physical distancing and existing restrictions as imposed by local ordinances such as Liquor Ban for Minors must be complied by the establishments.
“While still adapting to radical changes of COVID-19 transmission, it cannot be overemphasized that public awareness, vigilance, cooperation, and full adherence to public health protocols remain vital in community-wide responses to effectively curb down the unprecedented surge in our cases, including the regulation on dispensation of liquor,” the EO further stated.
To recall, Treñas signed EO No. 49-B amending his previous EO that regulated the public sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages until 12 midnight only due to the prevalence of people loitering and bar fighting.
Under the amended EO, the sale and consumption in public of any form of liquor was again allowed from 8 a.m. until 2 a.m.
The newest amended EO takes effect immediately./PN
