Drunk? Stay out of Valenzuela City

Valenzuela has no room for drunks. If you do or even show signs that you are, you’ll go to the police station to sober up.

Despite some difficulties facing its implementation, Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian announced over the weekend the approval of a new and more stringent code regulating the sale and distribution of liquor in the city, including putting the handcuffs on "annoying, unruly and indecent behavior" as a consequence of alcohol use or abuse, within city borders.

"We have declared it unlawful for any person, while in a public place or open to public view, to be drunk or intoxicated or to behave in a drunken, boisterous, rude or indecent manner, to the annoyance and inconvenience of another person," said Gatchalian citing a pertinent provision in the code.

The code also bans the selling and serving liquor from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m., the mayor said. Violators will be slapped with a fine of not more than P5,000 or imprisonment of not more than one year or both.

Gatchalian, in accordance with Section 20 of the new code, has created in an executive order the city’s Liquor Licensing and Regulatory Board, the body tasked with implementing the provisions of the new ordinance.

Gatchalian said the code is meant to promote "a more peaceful and safer living and working environment for everyone in the city."

The new code also requires that no permit or license to sell, dispense and/or distribute intoxicating liquor or all other alcoholic beverages shall be issued or granted to any person, natural or juridical, whose business establishment is within a 250-meter radius of any school, church, hospital, cemetery or public building.

In the case of wholesale outlets, the distance allowed is 50 meters provided the wholesaler does not sell or dispense intoxicating liquor and all other alcoholic beverages within its premises.

It further says that in the case of manufacturers, distillers and/or producers, the establishment should not be within any residential area in the city.

The establishments already existing before the erection of said school, church, hospital, cemetery or public building shall not be covered by the prohibition.