Liquor ban on Sinulog day, says Cebu City Mayor Rama

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama talked with Cebu media on Tuesday, Jan. 16, after a news forum in Cebu City. CDN Digital photo | Niña Mae Oliverio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is firm on imposing liquor ban on the Sinulog 2024 Festival celebration in the entire Cebu City.

Rama announced this during a news forum on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024.

Earlier, Rama also expressed that he would not allow street parties during Sinulog

READ: Sinulog 2024: Rama won’t allow Sinulog street parties

“Di sad ko moingon nga ‘paghubog mos inyoha’ kay di mana public place, private place mana. Pero inig gawas nimo [og mahubog ka], you end up into trouble,” Rama said.

Noting that the number of people at present is increasing, he expressed concerns on stampede and untoward incidents during street parties, especially due to intoxication from alcoholic beverages.

“Naa ba gyu’y mo honor ta’g Señor Santo Niño [unya] maghubog-hubog ta? Wala mana, dili mana di mana mo coincide,” he said.

‘Problem of peace’

Rama recalled the time in the past when he had a bad experience during the Sinulog Festival when street parties were held in downtown Cebu.

“Akong nawng ana [sauna], kahibalo man mo ang mayor ko. [Unya kaning tawhana] pwerteng hubuga. Ambot kaila man siya mayor ko, niingon siya, ‘Mayor!’ [and] you know what he did to me? He dirtied my face,” he said.

He urged the public to enjoy the festivity in a proper way.

In an interview with reporters, Rama said that if someone is caught drinking in public or is seen drunk in public, they will have to face the authorities.

He noted that drunk people could cause “a problem of peace.”

No written directive

Rama said that he will not issue an executive order or any written form of his directive since there are existing ordinances for it and the authorities just need to strictly reinforce it.

In a separate interview with Councilor Phillip Zafra, the council’s chair of the Committee on Peace and Order, Zafra said that Rama’s order needs to have an executive order written by the latter.

Zafra said that when imposing liquor ban, they have to check the permits and licenses of establishments that sell liquor.

Despite the absence of a written directive from the mayor, Zafra said that he will discuss it with the police on how they will approach the implementation of liquor ban.

“[Since] it is the directive of the mayor, then ato nang pangitaan og paagi,” Zafra said.

City ordinances

The city ordinances that Rama was referring to are based on Cebu City Ordinance No. 1413, or the Liquor Licensing Ordinance.

The said ordinance bans all bars, beer houses, and karaoke lounges within a 100-meter radius from schools and churches from selling liquor.

Moreover, it also prohibits the establishments from selling alcoholic beverages to minors, and violators will face a fine of at least P1,000 or imprisonment of at least six months or both.

The other ordinance related to it is the City Ordinance 1929 that penalizes drunkenness in public places such as streets, alleys, plazas, and parks in the city.

Violators under this ordinance will face a penalty of three-month imprisonment or pay P1,000 fine or both.

Former Mayor Labella’s liquor ban

To recall, last 2019 the late Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella also imposed a liquor ban during the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo last August 25, 2019.

The said ban was in accordance with City Ordinance 1929.

Labella said that liquor ban was needed to prevent people from drinking liquor during the celebration since Cebu City was expecting an influx of people.

“If people started drinking alcohol, it will not be good,” Labella said in a report in 2019.

/bmjo