Liquor ban up in Manila

Manila City Mayor Francisco "Isko" Domagoso has threatened to shut down convenience stores who will sell alcoholic beverages amid the implementation of a liquor ban.

Domagoso said a liquor ban was still being implemented despite the city's transition to General Community Quarantine.

Last Tuesday, the Mayor reminded business owners in Manila that the sale of alcoholic beverages was merely a privilege granted by the city government.

Domagoso issued an executive order prohibiting the distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages in the nation's capital amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Domagoso appealed for the public's understanding and urged them to use the financial aid to buy basic necessities instead of liquor.

At the same time, Domagoso urged students in the nation's capital to use the "Stay Safe" COVID-19 contact tracing mobile app.

In a virtual conference with University and College presidents, Domagoso said students would be able to monitor nearby areas through the community-driven contact tracing application.

"Ask your students, your staff, this is a very powerful app herein. Through registration you will be informed real time where there is positive COVID19, probable, or suspected within your vicinity a few meter, 10 meters, 300 meters, 500 meters, 1 kilometer, and so on and so on," Domagoso said.

Stay Safe Manila can be accessed via https://manila.staysafe.ph/

Data from the Manila Health Department showed that most confirmed COVID-19 cases in the nation's capital are from the 18 to 39 age bracket.

Out of 1,443 COVID-19 positive cases, about 563 belong to the 18 to 39 age bracket.

Domagoso said that most of persons who belong to this age bracket were the ones who were granted quarantine passes by barangays in order to go out and buy basic necessities.