Duterte wants Congress to consider passing law closing bars, night clubs at 12 midnight

July 23, 2019

President Rodrigo Dutete wants Congress to consider passing a law modeled after a policy he made in Davao City closing nightclubs and bars at exactly 12 midnight.

Duterte mentioned this in his fourth State of the Nation Address as he urged the Congress to pass the remaining package of his administration’s Tax Reform Program, which includes the sin tax reform bill raising excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol.

Duterte said when he was mayor of Davao City, he went around to see discos and nightclubs but he could hardly see people inside the establishment because of thick cigarette smoke.

He said aside from banning smoking in Davao, Duterte also made an ordinance ordering drinking places to close at 12 midnight.

“I am not trying to pull a chair here. Mine was that two o'clock before in Davao....then I reduced it to one (pm), when that boxing mayor there became mayor (Sara Duterte-Carpio), she reduced to six. No order, no orders in advance,” he said.

“Now, at 12, everything closes down. Nobody works. So I... I think that we should adopt it. Most of the states, in many states, in many countries are like that. At 12 they are already closed,” he said.

He urged the public to stop drinking as he added jukeboxes are allowed until 8 pm or 9 pm.

“I have prohibited it in Davao. And at 12, as you see, Davao is quiet because everybody is resting already. Be it in the memorial parks, cemetery, or in the comfort of their homes,” he said.

Later, when Duterte was asked in an ambush interview if there was a need to pass a law, he said he would like "Congress to ponder on it and maybe sleep on it and if they want."

"But it can improve tremendously the quality of life. Stop drinking at almost 11, then you go home," added Duterte.

"Overall, by experience that it will do good. But I said, it would be at the expense of a reduced income for those who operate nightclubs, clubs, discos during nighttime," said Duterte. Ella Dionisio/DMS