Mayor Sara Duterte lifts liquor ban in Davao City

DAVAO CITY — The city government has finally lifted the 24-hour liquor ban in the city, but with certain limitations in relation to drinking outside the homes.

In Executive Order 50 that she signed on September 15 but took effect on Monday, September 21, Mayor Sara Z. Duterte still banned the operation of establishments like night clubs, bars, and beer gardens, whose main business constituted selling alcoholic drinks.

These establishments were identified in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Memorandum Circular 20-44 issued on August 1, which categorized businesses and industries allowed to operate under the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

The executive order of the mayor also said, “restaurants and fastfood businesses shall be permitted to serve all kinds of food and beverages, including alcoholic drinks; provided that each customer shall be allowed a maximum of two individual servings of any alcoholic beverage.”

Also, the same executive order pointed out that the ordinance still prohibits the serving of liquor between 1 a.m. and 8 a.m.

It was on April 6 when the mayor issued an executive order banning the consumption of liquor to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the city.

In announcing the lifting of the ban last week, Duterte pointed out that it was not because she was sympathetic to those who were clamoring for her to lift the ban, but for businesses to generate income for their workers.

Last week, the city government also allowed the reopening of the Roxas night market, the strip where micro businesses were allowed to operate and was closed down immediately after COVID-19 cases were discovered in the city.

ZB