It鈥檚 final. Establishments serving liquor within 100-meter radius from schools will only be allowed to sell and serve alcoholic beverages from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. for bars and from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. for restaurants.
Yesterday, the Liquor Licensing Commission (LLC) of Cebu City announced the strict implementation of a city ordinance that regulates the selling of alcoholic drinks.
More than 60 owners of bars, restaurants and convenience stores attended the meeting called in the mayor鈥檚 office yesterday where the announcement was made.
City Hall has expected to encounter opposition from the bar owners , but the LLC said they have even modified the policy鈥檚 implementation. 鈥淐losure man gyud unta ilang atubangon pero ato lang gihatagan og time (We were supposed to close down these establishments but we gave them time instead),鈥� said Msgr. Achilles Dakay, LLC chairman.
The order was effective immediately and will last until December, when the business permits of these bars and restaurants expire, Dakay said.
Opposition
Several restaurant and bar owners expressed resistance toward the policy of the commission.
鈥淪ome of our customers are call center agents who come to unwind and drink before the time you propose that we start serving,鈥� said Christian Cuenco, owner of Song Hits Family KTV.
A representative of Our Place restaurant on Pelaez corner Sanciangko streets said that most of their customers are foreigners who usually order beer even in the morning.
Majority of the body agreed that this policy would cause the establishments to lose their customers and their profit as well.
However, Mary Ann Suson, a member of the LLC, made it clear that this rule is only temporary.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a 鈥減eriod.鈥� Let鈥檚 try this for now. If it doesn鈥檛 work out, we can try other suggestions. But for now, let鈥檚 try to do this,鈥� Suson stressed.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not trying to close you down, we鈥檙e only trying to regulate serving of liquor,鈥� she added.
Suson said that this step taken by the commission is for the general welfare of society and is primarily concerned in protecting the morality of the youth.