Disallow restobars in area, school asks mayor

A PRIVATE school in Cebu City asked Mayor Tomas Osmeña not to allow new bars to open along Juana Osmeña Ave.

St. Theresa’s College Directress Sr. Maria Cora Sastre believes the city’s anti-liquor ordinance should be strictly implemented.

Sastre told the mayor she received a request from someone reportedly from the Department of Education asking for her signature to allow a beer house and KTV to open in front of their school.

“I’m not going to sign it with respect to the existing anti-liquor ordinance. I hope the City Government will not give permits to operate resto bars in these areas,” the directress said in a one-page letter dated Jan. 18, which was posted by the mayor on his Facebook page.

Section 12 of City Ordinance 1413 or the Liquor Licensing Ordinance states that “no liquor license shall be issued to any person, partnership, firm or corporation whose place of business is within the residential zone of urban areas and within 100 meters from the perimeter or property boundary line of any school or hospital.”

According to Sastre, they have written several letters over the past three years to the previous administration regarding the operation of several bars near their school, but it was not addressed.

“The restobars have been flaunting their defiance of the ordinance and loud noise since they had been given permit to operate,” she said.

Sastre then thanked Osmeña for his “decisiveness” and “courage” for banning street parties and drinking during the recent Sinulog celebration.

She said the revelry would have not turned orderly and peaceful if not for these policies.