ILOILO City – Mayor Jerry Treñas has lifted the prohibition on the sale and consumption of liquor, an initial step toward the gradual easing of enhanced community quarantine restrictions. He assured the public this won’t scale back the city government’s efforts to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The mayor announced the lifting yesterday afternoon. He, however, imposed conditions. These were the following:
* drinking in public places is prohibited
* social distancing must be observed at all times if and when alcoholic beverages are consumed
Treñas also stressed the prohibition on mass gatherings such as fiesta celebrations and similar activities remain in effect.
He won’t hesitate to re-impose the liquor ban “if there are violations or abuses” to the conditions he set for its lifting, warned the mayor.
People buying liquor must bring this straight to their homes and consume this there, according to Treñas.
“Indi sila mag-inum sa public places. Dira lang sila inum sa sulod sang ila balay, kag limitado lang ang tawo nga makaupod nila sa pag-inum,” he stressed.
Treñas, however, did not say how the city government could limit number of people on a drinking binge in their homes, or even ensure that they are observing social distancing.
But he said the city government’s Public Safety and Transportation Management Office and Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) would make sure no one drinks liquor in public.
“Violators would be arrested and charged,” said Treñas.
He expressed confidence, too, that the lifting of the liquor ban won’t adversely affect the city’s peace and order situation.
Iloilo City has been enjoying relative peace under quarantine. The crime rate dropped, according to the ICPO.
Treñas said the 8 a.m. to 5 a.m. curfew helped and this remains in effect.
The order lifting the liquor ban is contained in Executive Order No. 66, series of 2020 release yesterday afternoon.
“Effective immediately, the selling of any form of liquor or alcohol beverages, or any alcoholic drink containing a specific percentage of alcohol by volume or weight which may be in the form of whisky, brandy, gin, rum, cordial, cocktail, wine, champagne, vermouth, basi, tuba, beer, sake, stout, ale and the like shall be allowed…,” it read.
On Monday, Treñas expressed intension to start gradually easing quarantine measures by May 1. He welcomed the inputs of professors from the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV).
“This situation is new to us all. We have no experience in this regard so we need all the help we can get from the experts,” said Treñas.
The mayor created an ad-hoc committee to formulate and prescribe policies for the gradual lifting of the enhanced community quarantine. He forwarded to the committee the UPV professors’ proposed lockdown exit strategy.
Treñas said there would still be restrictions on public transport, school classes and religious gatherings, among others while quarantine rules and regulations are lifted in stages or phases.
“Iloilo City should consider prepping for a phased reopening, and scaling back of the local government unit’s (LGU) support for the economy. The phased reopening is a strategy that will protect the people from the (corona)virus while allowing life to progressively return to normal, albeit a new normal,” according to the professors.
As of yesterday, April 21, Iloilo City had six confirmed COVID-19 cases. These were the following:
* 77-year-old female from Jaro (region’s Patient No. 48)
* 44-year-old male from La Paz (region’s Patient No. 40)
* 59-year-old male from Mandurriao (region’s Patient No. 34)
* 44-year-old male from Jaro (region’s Patient No. 17)
* 61-year-old from Mandurriao (region’s Patient No. 3), recovered
* 72-year-old male from Mandurriao (region’s Patient No. 11), died/PN
