QC imposes liquor ban, allows tricycles to continue ops under MECQ

The Quezon City (QC) government on Monday reinstated a liquor ban from August 4 to 18 ahead of Metro Manila’s return to the more stringent modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

In a memorandum dated August 3, Mayor Joy Belmonte said “no liquor shall be sold at any time until August 18, 2020.”

The QC government first declared a liquor ban in March but lifted it in May ahead of the transition to MECQ.

President Rodrigo Duterte reimposed MECQ over Metro Manila and neighboring areas in response to medical groups’ call for a two-week “timeout” amid the surge in COVID-19 cases.

Belmonte said curfew would be observed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., quarantine passes would be required, and Special Concern Lockdowns would continue to be implemented in areas with clustered of cases.

The QC government also mandated workplaces, hotels, condominiums, subdivisions and other establishments to report suspect, probable, or confirmed COVID-19 cases among their staff to the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit.

Proof of non-leisure reason

Belmonte said local authorities would seek “proof of a legitimate non-leisure reason for being in the city” from persons who would enter QC but said no passes would be required for people exiting the city.

The mayor also said that tricycles were the only form of public transportation that will be allowed to continue operating.

“Tricycles may operate provided that each tricycle shall… have only one passenger, strictly implement no back-ride policy, provide a transparent barrier between the motorcycle and the sidecar,” she said, adding the need for regular disinfection of the unit.

QC has recorded 6,880 COVID-19 cases with 3,755 recoveries and 302 deaths as of August 1. -NB, GMA News