Antonio L. Colina IV
DAVAO CITY – Davao City mayor Sara Duterte has ordered the extension of 2the 4/7 liquor ban and 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew for another two months or from May 31 until July 31, 2021, as the city is confronted with another surge of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases.
Based on Executive Order No. 30, Duterte said there is a need to extend the liquor ban and curfew “to regulate some activities that can contribute to local transmission” in the city.
Section 1 provides that the liquors are prohibited for 24 hours daily while curfew hours is applicable in all public places, except for those who need to work or do business during these hours.
Dr. Ashley Lopez, acting head of the City Health Office, said during his program over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Wednesday that the city, along with other areas in Mindanao, is experiencing a surge.
The city reverted from modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ) on November 20, 2020, with the implementation of adjusted curfew hours from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. The liquor ban has been in effect since November 2, to put the transmission of COVID-19 under control.
Duterte said during her program over DCDR on Monday that she is “not comfortable with what is happening now with our hospitals because the moment we see private hospitals are open, it means SPMC is full.”
“Of all hospitals, SPMC is the biggest. This means, when our biggest hospital for severe and critical cases is already full, it’s a sign that there is trouble so we are not comfortable with what is happening right now,” she said.
The mayor said the city government will likely require anew the use of food and medicine (FM) passes to access essential goods and services to restrict the movement of the people due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
As of May 26, Department of Health-Davao reported 317 new cases, bringing the total cases to 26,730, with 2,266 active, 23,388 recoveries, and 1,076 deaths in the region.
Out of the total, Davao City, which reported the highest COVID-19 cases in Mindanao, tallied 16,256 cases, with 1,191 active, 14,324 recoveries, and 741 deaths. Davao de Oro reported 1,862 cases, Davao del Norte with 4,974, Davao del Sur with 1,791, Davao Occidental with 277, and Davao Oriental with 1,570.