Mayor Sara Duterte directed all barangay captains to remove the benches in front of sari-sari (sundry) stores in their respective areas to prevent people from loitering.
Duterte said she received reports that some individuals are hanging around in front of the neighborhood stores instead of staying in their homes.
“These individuals will say they will just buy something from the store,” she said. “Then when they arrive, they will instead sit down and drink.”
She also noted that some people are trying to find to elude the liquor ban, which starts from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., to start drinking in earlier hours. By the time the ban takes effect, they would already be at home intoxicated.
The local government has issued an executive order adjusting the implementation liquor ban in the city, as part of the effort to encourage people to go home directly after work. Davao City has an existing ordinance that prohibits selling of alcohol at 1 a.m.
“Let us remove the benches so that people won’t sit around in front of sari-sari stores,” Duterte said.
