ESTABLISHMENTS serving liquor in Cebu City need to comply with requirements set by the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and a special permit before they can resume operation.
Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella issued on Thursday, May 6, 2021, Executive Order 130, lifting the liquor ban in the city.
Bars, restaurants, and hotels serving liquors will have to acquire a special permit to resume their operation.
Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) head Jared Limquiaco said establishments have to send representatives to undergo training as Health Infection and Prevention Control Officer (Hipco). The EOC will conduct the training.
Having a Hipco, Limquiaco said would help the establishments to immediately take action should there be coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) transmission in their establishment.
After the training, the EOC, led by the BPLO team, will inspect the establishments to determine their maximum capacity. The allowed capacity will be posted in front of the establishment.
Under EO 130, establishments must only accommodate up to 50 percent of their maximum capacity of seated customers at any given time, regardless of the floor area.
If an establishment will hold a live entertainment, it needs a clearance from the EOC which would then be indicated in the special permit, the EO stated.
Limquiaco said the special permit to serve liquor that the establishments have to comply with is on top of the regular license to serve and sell liquor.
As of May 6, Limquiaco said there are already 39 establishments that have already complied with the requirements and are only waiting for the issuance of the special permits.
Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera, EOC deputy chief implementer, said the convenience and sari-sari store owners should disallow their customers to drink within the stores' premises.
"They can sell since we allow that, but they (customers) are not allowed to drink in public view, we are not allowing that," said Garganera.
Those who will be found drinking in public areas like on sidewalks and outside the sari-sari stores will be apprehended by the authorities, he said.
Garganera said establishments serving liquors are advised to take the last order by 10 p.m. so, by 10:30 p.m., the customers are ready to leave the premises and can go home before the curfew.
It was also stated in the EO that establishments should not allow customers and other persons, not their staff to loiter around the premises while curfew hours are in effect.
Curfew in Cebu City starts at 11 p.m.
Limquiaco said erring establishments will be warned first; the second violation means revocation of the special permit; and the third violation is revocation of the business permit. (JJL)