Show cause order issued to Cebu City bar for violating social distancing rules

The BPLO issues a show cause order against the owner of a bar in Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City that failed to practice social distancing and disregarded health protocols on Saturday, June 5. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) of Cebu City has issued a show-cause order to the management of a bar in Barangay Kasambagan this city, asking them to explain the reported disregard of health protocols last Saturday, June 5.

Police Major Renz Talosig, Mabolo Police Station chief, said this as he also recommended to the Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to reduce the allowable customer capacity of the bar from 250 persons to 150.

Talosig said that he made the recommendation to reduce the customer capacity of the bar so social distancing would really be observed.

He also said that the police had also the capacity to recommend to the EOC, especially on instances like what happened last Saturday, June 5, in that bar.

Talosig was referring to the incident at past 10 p.m. that day where police and a representative of the BPLO caught the bar filled with customers, who did not follow social distancing rules.

“Ang rason sa tag-iya, niulan man maong nawala ang social distancing. Naa na siyay allowable capacity nga 250 pero tungod sa ulan, nagkasikit-sikit sila ngadto maong nawala ang social distancing,” Talosig said.

(The reason of the bar owner on why the social distancing was not followed was because it was raining at that time. This bar has an allowable capacity of 250 persons but because of the rain, social distancing was not properly observed.)

Talosig said there were at least 200 persons in the bar, who did not follow social distancing rules.

But the bar owner said that the number of people there included those who took shelter from the rain.

He said that the bar had open spaces and when it rained those occupying the open spaces were forced to take shelter in areas in the bar where they could take shelter from the rain, leading to the bar having more people in certain areas, making it more difficult for customers to follow social distancing rules.

However, the BPLO has already issued a show-cause order against the owner of the establishment.

Talosig said that the bar had a special permit to operate and to serve liquor, but he clarified that holding discos was still prohibited.

He said that the BPLO had the authority to decide whether to suspend or not the bar’s permit especially after receiving reports about the bar allegedly holding discos.

“Naa na sa EOC nato o sa BPLO to suspend ilang permits or tagaan pa silag chance. Mao na nga na issuehan na silag show cause order para at least ma investigahan, ma explain nila ilang side,” he said.

(It will be up to the EOC or BPLO to suspect their permits or give them another chance. That is why they were issued a show-cause order so that at least they can be investigated and they can explain their side.)

For now, Talosig said that they would continue to monitor every night all establishments permitted to operate in Barangay Mabolo.

“I monitor na gihapon nato, kada gabie ato na ginabuhat. Ang kanang bars ug establishments nga mu offer og liquor kada gabie na atong gipatuyukan. 8 to 11 pm kay before ang curfew dapat nga nanirado na sila,” Talosig said

(We continue to monitor them every night. We have roving patrols to monitor the bars and establishments that offer liquor to customers from 8 to 11 p.m. because  before the curfew they should already close their bars.)

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