Covid-19 surge prompts Davao City to reimpose curfew and limits sale of liquor

DAVAO CITY — The city government here is reimposing the enforcement of curfew and early restriction of selling liquor during the night time following the surge of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) cases in the past days. 

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio released the Executive Order No. 55 Series of 2020 An Orderorder Enforcing Curfew and Regulating other Activities Until December 31, 2020, on Monday due to the increase of COVID-19 cases in the city after. This followed after essential activities were allowed to operate during Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ). 

“There is a need to control the COVID-19 cases in Davao City because of the full occupancy of COVID-19 beds in the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC),” the mayor said in her order. 

She said curfew shall be imposed on individuals in all public places from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily. 

But the order provided exemptions for those government workers who are on duty during curfew hours such as the medical doctors and veterinarians who need to work; workers of public utility companies (energy, water, internet, etc.) conducting the construction, maintenance, or emergency activities; medical, emergency and disaster cases and those individuals who will be attending the wake of a family member. 

The order stated that all private offices and establishment employees who time-in and time-out of work within the curfew hours, should include their travel to and from their residence.

The subsistence and business fishing activities, their vessels are subject to lawful inspection by the Maritime Police, Task Force Davao, Navy or Coast Guard, if there is a reasonable belief that there is illegal activity or unlawful materials in the vessel.

The curfew shall cover only individuals, however, offices, establishments, places of worship, and other institutions are encouraged to adjust their operating hours accordingly.

The presentation of an employee’s ID of an establishment operating within the curfew hours shall be required for individuals who are inspected on the streets or stopped in checkpoints.

A liquor ban will be also implemented from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily and drinking in public places such as roads, alleys, open spaces, and other similar places are prohibited every day at any given time.

All sari-sari stores must also close from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. every day while videoke and karaoke inside private property shall be prohibited from 10 p.m to 5 a.m. 

It stated the Purok Leader can require police assistance at any time of the day to turn off a videoke or karaoke, if the sound volume has become disruptive to the neighbors of the owner of the machine or equipment.

Public venues and establishments that do not have a business permit to operate as a videoke, karaoke, or sing-along place shall be prohibited to operate their equipment 24 hours a day.

Penalties will be imposed from existing laws and ordinances against those who fail to follow the provisions of the order.  Newsline.ph