Baguio sets total liquor ban; reduces resto, church crowds

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY -- Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Sept. 8 ordered more temporary restrictions on activities in the city in response to increasing Covid-19 cases projected to increase the coming weeks. 
    "Based on this weeks' data as supplied by the City Epidemiology and Surveilance Unit (CESU), our 7-day average for cases per day is now 165 and we expect this to further increase in the next two weeks," the mayor said.
    The number of barangays with new cases in the last 14 days has also risen to 115 out of 128 or 89.15 percent. 
In view of this, the mayor ordered a total ban on the sale and service of liquor and other alcoholic products from Sept. 11-19.
    Permitted customer capacity for enclosed or indoor seating in dine-in establishments was also ordered reduced to 30 percent.
    For religious gatherings, the permitted attendance will be reduced to 20 percent of the venue capacity and limited to worship activities from Sept. 11-26.
     The news restrictions were reached in consultation with the affected sectors during the mayor's meeting with the Local COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force, the Baguio Tourism Council (BTC), Dept. of Tourism Cordillera, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB) and representatives of the affected sectors last Sept. 8.