Dads amend ordinance banning liquor drinking in public places

To strengthen the campaign of the City against drinking spree in public places, the 20th City Council on its regular session Monday enacted an ordinance amending Ordinance No. 5133-95, entitled: “An Ordinance Prohibiting the Drinking of Alcoholic Liquor and Other Intoxicating Beverages in All Public Access Properties of the City and its Barangays except on official functions or occasions and providing penalty for violation thereof.”

For purposes of clarity, the amendatory ordinance has defined Public Access Properties as places that are accessible or open to the public or places for collective use, regardless of ownership or right of access, such as schools, government facilities, church grounds, health/hospital compounds, transportation terminals, waiting sheds/areas, public plazas, parks, roads, alleys, sidewalks, walkways, rotundas, entrance ways, parking lots or any private parking lots open to the public use (regardless if the private parking lot establishment is open or close for business), bridges, skyways, overpass, underpass and flyovers.

The said ordinance declares it unlawful for any person to drink alcoholic liquor in public access properties except on official functions or occasions duly authorized, sanctioned or approved by the Barangay Council concerned or the City Council and/or covered by a permit issued therefor by the Office of the Punong Barangay or the City Mayor.”

Under the new ordinance, the penalties for violating the ordinance was increased to administrative fine of P3000 for the first offense; P4000 for second offense; P5000 and/or imprisonment of 6 months at the discretion of the court for the third and subsequent offenses.

The amendments were introduced by Councilors James K. Judith II, with Councilors Malvern A. Esparcia, Edgar S. Cabanlas and Ian Mark Q. Nacaya as co-authors. The Committee on Public Order and Safety chaired by Councilor Romeo V. Calizo and Committee on Laws and Rules chaired by Councilor Edgar S. Cabanlas sponsored the approval of the said ordinance.