Liquor ban imposed in Cebu City, too

Mayor Edgardo Labella has also signed an executive order implementing a liquor ban in Cebu City starting today, March 16, 2020.|Morexette Marie B. Erram

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Aside from implementing curfew and early closing hours for commercial establishments, and cancelling large events, the Cebu City Government is now imposing a total liquor ban. 

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella on March 16, 2020 issued another Executive Order (EO) that prohibits the distribution and consumption of alcoholic beverages in all public places in the city.

Read more: Cebu City puts up border control as it enters ‘general community quarantine’

“A total liquor ban is hereby imposed in all public places within the City of Cebu upon effectivity of this Order until April 14, 2020 or the State of General Community Quarantine with the City of Cebu has been lifted and/or revoked, whichever is earlier,” the EO stated. 

EO. No. 53 was signed a day after Labella declared to put Cebu City under community quarantine to prevent the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) until April 14, 2020.

The new EO also directed the Philippine National Police (PNP)and barangay tanods to enforce order and confiscate liquors being distributed and consumed in public places. 

Violators will be imposed with “the appropriate legal action,” the document said. 

“It shall (also) be prohibited for any person, including owners and managers of hotels, resorts, restaurants, and other establishments of the same nature to sell, furnish, offer, buy, serve or drink intoxicating liquor in any public place within the City of Cebu upon the effectivity of this Order and during the entire period of the General Community Quarantine,” it added. /dbs