Cebu cities impose liquor ban anew

The cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu imposed liquor bans anew and adjusted its curfew hours to 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. due to increasing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

In separate executive orders, Cebu City acting Mayor Michael Rama issued Executive Order 36 while Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes signed EO 22 and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan issued EO 2021-040 — all reimposing liquor bans and the adjustment of curfew hours.

"If we do not do our act now, it's a matter of agreeing. Do we want to be in ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) or do we wish to maintain the modified GCQ? Let's bear the brunt for one whole month," Rama said.

Cortes, for his part, added that the city reimposed liquor ban, stricter border controls, prohibits nonessential public gatherings and imposes longer curfew hours, but he stressed that hotels, resorts and other accommodation establishments are allowed to serve liquor only for their in-house guests pursuant from the prevailing guidelines from the Department of Tourism and Department of Trade and Industry.

Chan, on the other hand, said that residents can buy liquor, but are only allowed to drink in their homes.

The prohibition will start by 25 August 2021.

As of 27 July 2021, Cebu City has 2,290 active cases with 909 deaths with a total cases of 28,968 cases, Mandaue City has 749 active cases with 241 deaths with total cases of 7,850 while Lapu-Lapu City has 1,201 active cases with 182 deaths with a total cases of 8,164 cases and Cebu Province with 2,078 active cases with 838 deaths with 19,502 cases.