BAÑOC
We may sometimes disagree with Mayor Tomas Osmeña on some of his ideas, but let us give credit where credit is due.
The first ever liquor ban within the 300 meter radius of the Sinulog Grand Parade route in Cebu City last weekend was very successful.
People, especially the young ones, were tamed and behaved because they were not under the influence of liquor.
While I was in the grandstand during our Sinulog radio coverage last Sunday, I had the chance to talk with the police assigned to the security therein.
According to them that based on their monitoring, this year’s Sinulog is unique because their police station jails were not being used to detain drunks.
Also the Kaohsiung buses, used to detain criminals, were not used.
After the grand finale, I intentionally walked from the Sports Center to our radio station in the uptown area of the city to further observe the behavior of the people at that time. I observed the surge of people walking on the streets. They were in fiesta mode, yet they behaved normally.
The rowdy crowd in the previous year who caused trouble in different parts of the city was not seen this year. I could say there was really a total difference between the crowd’s behavior this year compared to the previous years.
During my Straight to the Point radio program aired over DYHP RMN Cebu, Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor on police matter, also shared the same observation.
He said that this year’s fiesta of the Sto. Niño was generally peaceful and the liquor ban implementation was very successful.
He attributed the tamed crowd behavior to the effectiveness of the liquor ban. He said that he would recommend that such ban would still be implemented next year and its coverage widened.
Even the teenagers who enjoyed the concert held at the Plaza Independencia were not disorderly.
The executive order (EO) issued by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña that prohibited the selling and drinking of liquor within 300 meters of the Sinulog parade route solved the growing problematic crowd control in the previous years.
Such order includes the prohibition of entertainment such as street parties, events, concerts, shows, and etcetera.
Councilor Tumulak revealed that almost all establishments within the ban area followed the EO of the mayor, except the five establishments that were caught selling liquor despite the order.
Said establishments are now under investigation and are given due process before the mayor decides what to do with their business permits.
Osmeña’s idea to order the business establishments not to sell alcoholic beverages is brilliant. They are forced to follow as the mayor has power over them.
This is easier than running after the drunks because they are too many.
Announcing that drunkenness is not allowed during Sinulog would become useless if business establishments are not prohibited from selling alcoholic beverages.
People would really find ways to buy liquor. So the easier way is to order the stores not to sell.
Since the liquor ban during Sinulog proved to be effective, I suggest that the City Council pass an ordinance to that effect.
This is so that whoever becomes the mayor in any time in the future will be duty-bound to implement such policy.
After all, a new mayor can choose to ignore his predecessor’s executive order.
I think this is also the best way in solving the continuing drug problems in the country.
Drug addicts are too many and they find ways where they can buy drugs even if the price now is said to be already too expensive.
The police will use the same formula used by Osmeña in the liquor ban. They should run after the drug lords and drug pushers who are responsible in selling drugs to the people.
If this would happen, then drug addicts are forced to stop their vices.
If a liquor ban needs political will because you will collide with businessmen, more so, on illegal drugs.
This is a challenge of President Rodrigo Duterte and the law enforcers in this country as they resume the Oplan Tokhang (Toktok Hangyo) this coming Monday.
I hope this time they should focus more on the sources of drugs, big fishes.
We have heard a lot about the Duterte formula, and now we see the Osmeña formula. All these, boil down to one thing: the indispensability of political will.