Parañaque bans drinking liquor in streets

MANILA, Philippines - Anyone caught drinking in the streets of Parañaque City risk being arrested and paying a hefty fine after the city government has approved on Wednesday an ordinance banning it on the city’s “public places.”

In a statement, Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said "public places" under the ordinance include roads, streets, alleys, sidewalks, sports complex and grounds, parks, church yards and school yards.

Olivarez said the ordinance is a “good step to impose discipline and avoid untoward violent incidents involving those who drink liquor in the streets.”

“Mabuti po ang mga ordinansang ganito upang sa gayon ay maiwasan ang mga kaguluhan sa mga pampublikong lugar na karaniwang dulot ng sobrang kalasingan at pati mga inosenteng tao ay nadadamay din paminsan-minsan,” Olivarez said.

The ordinance which was principally authored by former Councilor Generoso Puzon imposes a fine of not less than P500 or imprisonment of not less than five days for first time offenders. Second time offenders will be fined not less than P1,000 or imprisonment of not less than 10 days while third time offenders will be fined not less than P2,500 or imprisonment of 30 days or whatever the court decides.

In coming up with the ordinance, Olivarez and Puzon noted that “despite existing laws and ordinances regulating the consumption or drinking of  wine, liquor and similar intoxicating beverages in public places, the occurrences of people violating this measure have remained unabated and tolerated by authorities.”

The ordinance stressed that the continuous tolerance of the consumption or drinking of these intoxicating drinks in public places has resulted at times to the inconvenience, discomfort physical injuries and death of people when traversing public places.

Statistics gathered by law enforcers reveal that of crimes reported daily to police stations at least 60 percent are alcohol related and of this, at least 50 percent originated from a drinking session in public places “hence the need to regulate this activity for the safety and protection of the public.”

Olivarez said that Section 16 of the Local Government Code of 1991 known as the General Welfare clause, mandates all local government units to exercise their powers essential to the promotion of the general welfare and safety of the public.