BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio City Local Health Board is pushing for the creation of the City Alcohol Regulation and Enforcement (CARE) Task Force to strengthen interagency coordination and reduce alcohol-related harm.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who chairs the Board, said the city supports a proposed ordinance that seeks to regulate alcohol consumption and address problems associated with excessive drinking.
“This is an important public health intervention for the protection and promotion of the health, safety and welfare of the people of Baguio City. This might also be the solution to alcohol-related crimes,” he said in an interview on Wednesday.
Magalong said excessive alcohol consumption has high social and economic costs for families, communities and government institutions.
“Kapag nakaka-inom ng alak, nagreresulta sa lakas ng loob kaya nagkakaroon ng kaguluhan at aksidente. Humahantong din ito sa iba’t ibang health problems at minsan ay nagkakagulo sa pamilya (When people drink alcohol, they often become emboldened, which can lead to disturbances and accidents. It also contributes to various health problems and, at times, family conflict),” he said.
He added that alcoholism also reduces productivity.
Magalong said the proposed measure aims to protect the youth, strengthen families, promote responsible drinking environments and prevent alcohol-related harm through evidence-based public health policies, in line with the city’s goal of promoting itself as a “character city.”
Under the proposal, the CARE Task Force would implement a comprehensive public health framework covering responsible alcohol service, protection of minors, regulation of alcohol availability, enforcement, public education, surveillance and harm-reduction interventions.
In a separate statement, City Health Officer Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes said alcohol consumption is linked to noncommunicable diseases and other lifestyle-related illnesses.
She said health professionals continue to encourage healthy lifestyles, including avoiding smoking, limiting or abstaining from alcohol, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly to reduce the risk of heart, lung and liver diseases, as well as other alcohol-related illnesses. **Liza Agoot
