THE lifting of the liquor ban will take effect today, Sept. 21, after the city government imposed a 24-hour ban on selling and drinking of alcoholic drinks in the middle of March 2020 to slow down the transmission of COVID-19.
Cheers to that, but no thanks! I thought of not going back to the old habit of visiting my favorite watering holes in the city almost every after 5 in the afternoon before the ban, sometimes with friends and unexpected acquaintances, for a few rounds of beer to unwind.
I’ve decided to quit drinking for good after having experienced the last seven months without alcohol and realized that I can still live my remaining years without it, and also to prove to everyone that I’m not an alcoholic.
Although the liquor ban is over, there is still restriction on selling, serving, and consuming liquor by limiting it from 1 a.m. until 8 a.m. That means, from 8 a.m. to 12 midnight, one can drown himself in alcohol with no law stopping him.
But wait, the City’s Vices Regulation Unit chief Ashley Lopez warned that his office will intensify the inspection and monitoring of restaurants whose main business is not selling liquor but serves alcoholic drinks. Lopez said that they are only allowed to serve two servings per customer.
“Single-serving means one shot per customer so a maximum of two shots for every customer,” he said.
I do not know what’s the logic in lifting the liquor ban when after-all bitin pa rin ang inuman.
Nonetheless, I’m still in doubt whether the warning will be followed considering that if a shot to the Americans is equivalent to only 4 to 5 of a tablespoon, to the Filipino drinkers a shot is just a drop in the bucket. Baso-baso ang shot sa atin.
And besides, does Lopez have enough men to monitor these establishments whose only concern is to make a profit?
Paano kung small amount of the alcohol lang ang nakikita sa ibabaw ng lamesa habang ang botelya was hidden underneath? Ask any regular beer drinker to know the technique in evading detection! Hehe.
-o0o-
Whenever we read reports of the highly anticipated 3.98-kilometer Davao City-Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCOS) bridge project of the government to allegedly enhance commerce mobility from the city to Samal, I just laughed to myself. Parang luko-lukong tumatawa sa sarili.
Why, because if I can still remember, the connecting bridge was planned when I just arrived in the city in the early 60s, when the late Mayor Carmelo Porras was still the city chief executive.
Porras was followed by the great Bagobo Elias Lopez, Luis Santos, Rodrigo Duterte, Ben de Guzman and now the incumbent Mayor Inday Sara, all elected, in that order.
All of them have also shared the vision of finally realizing the bridge project, but none has ever succeeded in making their dream a reality.
I am expecting that the incumbent administration will finally break the jinx and the bridge will be finished within her incumbency and while I’m still alive.
I was wrong. It remains to be seen and very much disappointed. While Cebu City has already three bridges connecting six Visayan islands to each other, Davao City has still in its planning stage for the last 60 years and more. I am disappointed after learning of the announcement by the Department of Public Works and Highways that the target of the design and build contract of the project is in the first quarter of 2021 and may be completed by 2026.
Maganda ang plano, pero hindi maumpi-umpisahan. Diyos ko po!
-o0o-
I finally decided to give up my US permanent resident card (popularly known as Green Card) and the plan to be an American citizen after almost a year of pondering whether to spend my retirement years here or abroad. I choose my native land, the Philippines.
Upon knowing my decision, my friends were one in saying: “Loreto, sayang ang oportunidad bakit mo pa binitawan.”
Tama ang mga kaibigan ko. As a US citizen, I will fully enjoy all the benefits extended by the law – anything that the government can give to its citizens, and most of all, the free hospitalization and lifetime monthly pension and the opportunity to bring the rest of your family abroad.
But all these didn’t come to mind. Although it might be a wrong decision by throwing away such an opportunity that comes only once in a lifetime, I still believe I’m correct with my decision at hindi ko yun pagsisisihan.
Admittedly, the American dream is only for the youngbloods and for those who seek employment and get rich. But not to those who already are in their twilight years like me.
And besides, no one among my peers will understand what I’m saying here if they have not experienced what I did while in the US. Although living in luxury and feeling millionaire in the house of my unica hija, yet iba talaga ang kinalakihang bansa – ang Pilipinas. Stay safe by listening to your favorite Christmas medley!
