Davao City now has stricter liquor ban

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Liquor drinkers, beware.

This, as the city council yesterday unanimously approved on third and final reading an amended ordinance imposing a stricter liquor ban in this part of the country.

The amendments to the 1994 liquor ban were approved on suspended rules and passed on second and third readings during the council’s session yesterday. 

Councilor Bonifacio Militar, proponent of the amendments, said the new provisions mandate that establishments should stop selling liquor and operating from 1 a.m. – from the previous 2 a.m. – to 8 a.m.

The new amendments also lifted supposed exemptions earlier granted to tourism-related establishments, as provided by the 1994 ordinance that set the liquor ban from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who asked the council to rush the passage of the amended ordinance, also wanted the prohibitions to cover not just the selling of liquor but also the operating hours of establishments.

Militar, who also authored Ordinance 1627 in 1994, said the city was experiencing a high crime rate then that Duterte had to go on night patrols around the city.

In pitching for the amendments, Duterte earlier said most of the troubles in the city were instigated by drunk minors who should be in their homes by nighttime.