Part Three
THE city of Makati, considered the richest local government in terms of revenue, does not condone any illegal acts in the city, its top officials maintain.
“Bars and clubs are allowed to operate, as long as they do not solicit sex or drugs,” Makati City Legal Officer and Spokesman Michael Camiña said. “They are there only to provide entertainment within bounds of the law.”
Makati has been a favorite leisure destination for its wide variety of restaurants, as well as clubs, lounges and bars that keep the city alive way into the wee hours of the morning.
Earlier, Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay-Campos vowed to cooperate in the campaign of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in its drive against illegal drugs. “We will cooperate, of course. We will not allow any illegal activity that will happen in our city,” Binay-Campos said. “We are very cooperative.”
Being a haven of mid- to high-end bars has its advantages and disadvantages, according to Ares P. Gutierrez, Quezon City Public Order and Safety city information officer. Gutierrez added it will be considered disadvantageous when “we look at the moral side [of the equation]”.
“It’s a moral question,” he said. “[From] a moralistic point of view, any form of vice is not good.”
Vice, versus
GUTIERREZ emphasized that frequenting bars could become a vice and can cause problems in a family.
“’Yung tatay, namba-babae,” he said. “Imbes na ipanggasto sa pamilya ipinang-iinom ipinang-susugal. [Problems arise if the father is a womanizer. Instead of spending for the family, he wastes hard-earned money on alcohol and gambling].”
However, Gutierrez said that, from a business point of view, the presence of night entertainment establishments is relative to an area. “There are areas na hindi kailangan ’yan,” Gutierrez said, referring to bars and nightclubs. However, he said there are times businesses like these boom, pointing to Tomas Morato Avenue, which is part of an area sociologist Arnel de Guzman referred to as the “Lust Triangle”.
“That was before, but not anymore,” Gutierrez said, adding the trend has changed.
“Ang gusto ng tao ngayon, ayaw na nila ng maingay, coffee-coffee,” he said “’Yung iba, health conscious na. [People today avoid noisy venues. They also prefer to just have coffee. Some are also conscious of their health and thus avoid alcohol].”
Clamping down
THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has announced it now targets attack bars, nightclubs and restaurants they deem too liberal in the sale of liquor.
According to the MMDA, bars, nightclubs and other business establishments that serve alcohol should have a strict guideline or system that will determine if a particular customer has already reached his or her maximum alcohol-tolerance level.
This, according to the MMDA, will help prevent accidents that occur during nighttime and involve intoxicated drivers. The MMDA believes these drivers usually came from bars or clubs.
The MMDA will be proposing various measures to Metro Manila mayors for the implementation of Republic Act 10586, or the Anti Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013, according to MMDA Acting Chairman Thomas Orbos.
Orbos said he is also keen on the ordinance mulled over by his predecessor, former MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, which will require bars, beerhouses, restaurants and similar entertainment centers to limit the sale of alcoholic to customers, particularly to those who have to drive home at night.
The matter will be brought up to the Metro Manila Council (MMC) to drum up support to the agency’s relentless campaign to promote road safety, Orbos said.
The MMC is the policy-making body of the MMDA whose members are the mayors of the 17 local government units in Metro Manila.
“It’s about time the government have some kind of control over these business establishments,” Tolentino said.
To be continued