San Juan City has reimposed a ban on the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages during the period of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
Mayor Francis Zamora on Monday afternoon (Aug. 3) approved Ordinance No. 54 implementing a “total liquor ban” in the city during the period of MECQ, which will start Tuesday (Aug. 4).
“Ire-reinstate po natin ang liquor ban natin. So meron tayong liquor ban muli. (We will reinstate our liquor ban. So we have a liquor ban again.) The liquor ban will be in effect for the duration of the MECQ,” Zamora told reporters on Monday morning.
President Duterte on Sunday night announced that the National Capital Region (NCR) and its neighboring provinces will be placed under MECQ from Aug. 4 to Aug. 18.
This was in response to the calls of medical frontliners to revert the quarantine status of the metropolis to a tougher level amid the spike of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases recently.
During the early days of the pandemic, the local government also prohibited the sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks. This ban was lifted on May 18, with the local government citing “economic reasons” and to help residents “deal with their anxieties” amid the pandemic.
Longer curfew hours
Zamora has also ordered longer curfew hours in the city during the MECQ period.
From the previous curfew of 10 p.m., the mayor announced that the new curfew hours are 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next day, effective starting Tuesday night.