FLORIDABLANCA -- This town's Mayor Eduardo Guerrero ordered Wednesday the removal of 15 beerhouses in Barangay Mabical here.
The action, according to Guerrero, is in compliance with Municipal Ordinance 25 titled "An ordinance removing beerhouses that are within the 200-meter radius of public institutions."
The ordinance seeks to protect schools, churches and similar establishments "from the social implications" of beerhouses.
The ordinance was enacted in 2008 but was not immediately implemented to provide beerhouse owners here enough time to relocate their businesses.
However, many businesses have yet to close shop.
Guerrero said the 15 beerhouses "pose as distractions" to students of nearby Megabyte College, adding that the establishments were built within the 200-meter radius set by the municipal government.
"Also, the religious sectors of the town have been complaining of the mushrooming of beerhouses here. Barangay Mabical is the gateway of the municipality and it would be a bad impression that beerhouses would greet people coming into the town," Guerrero said.
The mayor said they are preventing students from being eventual customers of beerhouses, and promote a wholesome environment along major institutions of the town.
Guerrero also ordered the municipal licensing division and the barangay officials of Mabical to refrain from issuing business permits to the said establishments.
Mabical village chief Rolando David told Sun.Star Pampanga that they gave beerhouse owners here until January 20 to comply with the mayor's order.
"The date will give them enough time to relocate. We have been communicating with them to prevent further resistance," he said.
David said the beerhouses can relocate far from the zoning areas set by the municipality and away from government buildings and other institutions.
He also said Guerrero offered a relocation area in Barangay Dau in nearby Lubao town. However, the beerhouse owners would have to arrange their permits with the said municipality before they could operate.
Sun.Star tried to get comments from some of the beerhouse owners but they refused to issue any statement. (IOF)