AS EARLY as January, Cagayan de Oro City Councilor Reuben Daba is planning to file an ordinance that would limit the sale of liquor within a period of hours from midnight to early dawn, which was known as “liquor ban.” Notorious, for people who see liquor as a way of life, it may mean a form of curtailment.
It went on a buzz again lately, this time more people have been talking about it, or at least in the consciousness of Kagay-anon social media users, on the chances that it may be passed anytime this year. As any democratic society expected to behave, such move has varied views.
Some were in favor of the ban, on grounds that it will help peace and order, more so, that the suspects of recent rape-homicide case of a female college student were said to be under the influence of liquor when they committed the crime.
On the side note, a liquor ban may mean discouraging the youth in patronizing the habit of heavy drinking spree at nights.
Although there was already an existing city ordinance, under Ordinance Number 4373-94, where minors aged 15 years old below are not supposed to enter “nightclubs, cocktail lounges, massage clinics, beer houses, discotheque joints or saloons, cabarets or liquor stores or stands, gambling places, plazas, parks, recreation halls, billiard halls, parlors, bowling alleys, theater lobbies, sidewalks, hotels, and all other similar establishments, after Ten O'clock (10:00) post meridian, and before Five O'clock (5:00) ante meridian.”
The said ordinance is made with an exception to special events and holidays, like “the eve of the town fiesta, Charter Day and other local holidays for the City of Cagayan de Oro, Christmas, New Year, All
Souls Day, All Saints Day, Good Friday, Holy Thursday up to the
Resurrection day immediately following, or those who have just attended in and are going home from school classes, civic or religious gatherings or social occasions.”
However, some were not keen on supporting liquor ban in the city.
They believed that to limit the sale of liquors could mean economic losses, and even tourism discouragement, which may also mean the ban can affect employment and most of all a “night life,” insinuating that as if taking away the Divisoria “Night Cafe” was not enough.
Daba’s liquor ban was primarily inspired in Davao City’s ordinance that would ban the sale of liquor or alcoholic drinks from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m.
The ordinance was first passed in 1994 but restructured in 2013 in Davao City.
Now, the interesting part is the moment when Daba’s ordinance will be passed, the next challenge would be its implementation. Even if
Cagayan de Oro will adopt the system enforced on liquor ban the same way in Davao City, it will still be subjected on will power, and most of all, social acceptance.
Old habits die hard, as they say, and in a city like Cagayan de Oro, in order for rules to be implemented effectively, it should take time to adapt to social norms - the Kagay-anon norms.
(nefluczon@gmail.com)
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