ILOILO City – Starting today, the sale and consumption of liquor in this southern city will be prohibited once again.
Mayor Jerry Treñas does not want the city to be falling into a “dire” situation similar to Metro Manila – the country’s original epicenter of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.
Thus, he reinstated the prohibition for two weeks.
“In Manila, hospitals are getting full and medical frontliners are getting tired,” the mayor pointed out during Monday’s flag-raising ceremony.
In Executive Order (EO) No. 113 issued yesterday morning, Treñas cited recommendations from different sectors he consulted.
“This [liquor ban] lessens unnecessary social gatherings which will be of great help for us to contain the virus,” said Treñas.
As of Aug. 3, Iloilo City has a total of 104 confirmed cases. Of the 104, 57 were active while 42 already recovered and five died.
He urged Ilonggos: “Cooperate with us by following all our health protocols.”
“Let us not make it hard for our medical frontliners to manage the cases because if they all get tired there will be no one left to save us from this adversity,” said Treñas.
Under the EO entitled “Safety Guidelines for Iloilo City,” the city mayor also ordered all persons and establishments, whether public or private, to observe the 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew from Aug. 4 to 18.
RESTRICTION TO MOVEMENT
Under the EO, all employees aged 55 years old and above are allowed to avail themselves of work from home arrangement.
Meanwhile, those 70 years old and older and those aged below 21 years are not allowed to leave their houses except to buy or secure essential goods such as food, and medicine, or to seek medical attention at hospitals or clinics.
Establishments providing for essential goods shall be allowed to accept persons above 70 years of age during the first hour of operations. Succeeding operating hours shall be dedicated for all other patrons.
The EO likewise reiterated the implementation of health standards like strict physical distancing and provision of hand sanitizers or alcohol and among others in all establishments here.
To recall, Treñas ended the restriction on alcoholic beverages on June 15, saying the move would gradually ease the city to the “new normal” and slowly revive the local economy./PN
