THE VICES Regulation Unit revealed on Thursday that bar owners proposed to extend the allowable time to sell liquor from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m.
VRU head Jacy Jay Francia said the motion was initiated during the assembly set by the VRU with the bar owners on July 30.
“During the dialogue, naa silay mulo nga gamay ra ang oras sa business for happy hour, which is only two hours,” Fracia said during the iSpeak Media Forum on Thursday.
Happy hours, according to the bar owners, start at 10 p.m. until 12 a.m., which is a short time since the last order of liquor is until 12 a.m.
Francia said most of the bar owners requested to extend the allowable time to 2 a.m. to also cater to their clients and generate more income.
The city’s sobriety ordinance provides that buying liquor and drinking in public places is no longer allowed from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m.
“Suggest namo sa ilaha nga mag organize sila para magkaroon sila ng representation kung mayroon mang amendments,” he added.
Francia said the bar owners were also advised to seek the assistance of the City Tourism Office for their specific concerns, but the VRU has yet to receive the formal proposal.
Pending the proposal, VRU will strictly implement the sobriety and liquor ban ordinance, especially for the upcoming Kadayawan Festival, where visitors are expected to flock to the bars and nightclubs in the city
For January to June 2025, VRU collected P1,079,600 for liquor ban violators, P112,400 for the sobriety ban ordinance violators, and apprehended 567 individuals from 389 operations.
Photo by Bing Gonzales
