DAVAO CITY — Effective 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, the implementation of the 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew and 24/7 liquor ban will be lifted, easing the quarantine restrictions in Davao City after being put in place for almost a year to stem the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Mayor Sara Duterte announced Monday.
The period of prohibition in the selling of liquors will be reverted to from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. daily, as imposed under the Ordinance 004-13 series of 2013 or the Liquor Ban Ordinance of this city.
The 24/7 liquor ban and curfew have been enforced since November 2 and November 20, 2020, respectively.
Duterte told Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.6) on Monday that the city is gradually easing quarantine restrictions since the local government has sufficient supply of the anti-COVID-19 vaccines.
The order, released on October 25, will be effective until January 15, 2022.
But that Section 2 regulates consumption of alcoholic beverages, prohibiting serving and consumption of liquors in bars restaurants, sari-sari stores, palengkes (wet market), videoke bars, and other business establishments, and the drinking of liquors in all public places including but not limited to streets, alleys, pathways, and outside of gates.
The order provides that there is a need to ease and loosen restrictions following the decrease in the number of cases reported and the active vaccination rollout within the city.
“We will do it slowly. If there is good effect with our vaccination and if we see medicines are already available, we can allow (consumption of alcohols) in public places,” she added.
Duterte asked the public to continue observing the minimum public health standards (MPHS) even as the city relaxes the restrictions, to protect the unvaccinated members of the population.
“The medicines are on the way — one or two have been developed. There is nothing left for us to do but to continue on with our MPHS. We slowly reopen using MPHS, but we are still limiting on mass gatherings and emphasizing on ventilation ordinances and reminding everyone to open windows and to do your activities outdoors,” she said.
She said continuously adhering to the implementation of protocols would prevent massive spread of the infections.
As of October 20, the City Government of Davao reported 843,805 individuals who have received the first dose and 727,946 or 60.66% of the target 1.2 million are fully vaccinated.
Department of Health (DOH)-Davao reported 49 new cases in Davao City, bringing the total cases to 52,899 as of October 24, with 2,802 active, 48,429 recovered, and 1,668 deaths.