Ilonggos React to Liquor Ban: For local drinker *Edgar, weekends mean a night of drinking with friends and a routine bar hopping. This includes visiting local bars and clubs, as enumerated by him – the Cave Superclub at the City Time Square, the Secret Place in Taft North, MO2 Ice within the Smallville Complex, Backyard Pub along Diversion Road, and Iloilo Central Park in Taft North. *Edgar reveals that they visit up to three to four bars on a regular Friday.
As the Iloilo City Government announced the enhanced community quarantine, a liquor ban was also imposed. Thus, *Edgar took the initiative to purchase a few bottles of ‘The Bar’ to last him the entire quarantine period, to ‘quench his thirst’ as he stays home. However, the ECQ was extended until April 30th, *Edgar has nothing to do but sober up and wait.
In Section 10 of Executive Order 055 Series of 2020, signed by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, it was stipulated that selling, dispensing, and transporting of liquor or alcoholic beverages is prohibited. This includes any drink with a percentage of alcohol by volume or weight which may be in the form of whisky, brandy, gin, rum, cordial, liquor, cocktail, wine, champagne, vermouth, basi, tuba, saki, beer, ale, and stout.
Here, we asked local Ilonggos how they responded to the imposed liquor ban.
“Nag stock nko ya damo kay kabalo gd ko mabudlayan na mka kuha ilimnon kag kng may ara, masaka gd presyo. Damo nga daan mga bentahoso d saton,” according to netizen Ryan. “If you notice, most members do find ways to obtain their alcohol fix. I think mas apektado lng ang volume nga gna inom. Not as much as on regular days,” he adds.
Ar Ar, meanwhile, wrote a long narrative regarding his response to the liquor ban.
“Dumduman ko snag bata ko ang istorya about sa subay nga gatipon pagkaun before pa magtagululan. Amo ni natabo sa liquor ban. Dapat mastock ka na dan ilimnon before pa ang liquor ban. Para sa isa ka manginginom budlay gd ya kung me liquor ban. Pero para sa akon ok man natabo kay may liquor ban kay nabuhinan ang mga insidente nga may labot sa mga hubog na tao. Damo na ginaasekaso mga frontliners ta, madugang pa ta,” he explains.
Although Ar Ar highlights the positive in the imposed liquor ban, Alex slams the mandate. “Tani gin ban lang ang magtambay sagwa kag mga ilimban. Pero ang makabakal kag sa balay imnon pwede,” says Alex.
The opinions may vary but one thing is common among the alcohol-loving crowd, they are all excited for the ECQ to end of April 30 and to finally go back to their alcohol-drinking routine. As of writing, there are still two weeks before the ECQ is lifted, *Edgar remains hopeful and continues to persevere. As what netizen Luprenio says in his comment, “Tagay naman ta sa May 01!”
