Baguio’s Proposed Liquor Code Covers More Than Raising the Drinking Age to 23

Much of the discussion surrounding Baguio City’s proposed Revised Liquor Code has focused on its plan to raise the minimum legal drinking age to 23.

However, the 19-page proposal covers much more than the drinking age. It seeks to regulate where and when alcohol may be sold, who may enter alcohol establishments, how businesses should operate, how alcohol may be advertised and delivered, and how violations would be handled.

The measure is identified as Proposed Ordinance No. PO 0023-20, introduced by Councilor Betty Lourdes F. Tabanda. It carries the title “2026 Revised Liquor Code,” while the ordinance itself would be known as the “Alcohol Harms Prevention Ordinance.”

The proposed ordinance has passed second reading and is awaiting approval on third reading. If approved, it will be forwarded to the Office of the City Mayor, where the mayor may either sign or veto the measure.

For now, the provisions remain proposals and are not yet being enforced.

Why is Baguio revising its liquor regulations?

The proposal says Baguio City currently has several older ordinances governing beer, liquor and other alcoholic products. It seeks to combine, revise and update these rules under one liquor code.

The explanatory note describes alcohol-related harm as a public-health concern associated with violence, injuries, addiction, student attrition, family problems and drink-driving incidents. It also refers to Baguio’s identity as a Character City and university town.

A new task force would oversee alcohol regulation

The proposal would create the City Alcohol Regulation and Enforcement Task Force, or CARE-TF.

The City Health Officer would serve as chairperson. A representative from an accredited civil society organization advocating for mental health would serve as vice-chairperson, while the City Health Services Office would act as the secretariat.

The task force would include representatives from:

• Baguio City Police Office
• City Legal Office
• Permits and Licensing Division
• City Social Welfare and Development Office
• City Health Services Office
• City Planning, Development and Sustainability Office
• City Tourism, Culture and Arts Office
• Sangguniang Kabataan Federation
• Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
• Concerned barangays
• Character Council
• Accredited associations representing alcohol establishments

What would the CARE-TF do?

The task force would coordinate implementation and enforcement, help prepare implementing rules, and establish an Alcohol Harm Surveillance System.

The surveillance system may gather information on alcohol-related violence, injuries, drink-driving crashes and other emergencies.

The CARE-TF would also conduct public-information campaigns, evaluate the ordinance every year and recommend possible amendments every three years.

Except for alcohol-sector representatives specifically included in the task force, members would be restricted from receiving contributions or compensation from the alcohol industry or maintaining conflicting affiliations.

What alcoholic products would be covered?

The proposed ordinance would apply to beverages containing more than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume, including beer, wine, distilled spirits, fermented drinks, mixed beverages and native alcoholic products such as basi, tapey, tuba, lambanog and mediu.

It also recognizes cultural alcohol products made through traditional or indigenous methods passed down through generations.

The proposed minimum drinking age would be 23

The proposal would establish Baguio City’s Minimum Legal Drinking Age at 23 years old.

A person below 23 could not:

• Purchase alcohol
• Be sold or served alcohol
• Be given alcohol
• Consume alcohol within Baguio City

The restriction would still apply when a person below 23 says the alcohol is being purchased for an adult.

Entry into alcohol establishments

People below 23 would generally not be admitted or allowed to remain inside alcohol establishments.

An exception would apply to private parties when the person is accompanied by a parent or guardian and is not served alcohol.

Restaurants that later convert into bars or nightclubs would have to ensure that people below 23 are no longer present before changing operations.

Proof of age

An unaccompanied customer suspected of being below 23 may be required to present a valid government-issued ID or other proof of age. A person unable to provide proof should be denied entry.

Reason stated in the proposal

The proposal says the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with impulse control and risk assessment, is not fully developed until approximately age 25. It also describes a higher minimum drinking age as a public-health measure intended to reduce alcohol-related harm among young people.

Businesses would need licences and clearances

Businesses selling or serving alcohol would need a barangay business clearance, business permit and the appropriate alcohol licence.

Before an alcohol licence is issued or renewed, the City Health Services Office would conduct a Public Health Impact Assessment covering risks involving young people, violence, road safety and public health.

Applicants would also need certification from the City Planning, Development and Sustainability Office confirming compliance with distance requirements.

Proposed annual alcohol licence fees

Businesses selling only recognized cultural alcohol products would be exempt from these alcohol licence fees.

CCTV would be required

Establishments selling or serving alcohol would have to comply with applicable city CCTV ordinances. Recordings would have to be made available to authorities when there is probable cause to investigate a possible violation.

Distance between alcohol establishments

No two establishments allowing on-premises alcohol consumption may be within 20 lineal meters of each other, measured from door to door.

Establishments inside the same enclosed building would be considered compliant when located on different floors.

Distance from protected establishments

Protected establishments would include schools, churches, hospitals, student dormitories and boarding houses, athletic stadiums, public-transport terminals and children’s parks.

Distances would generally be measured door to door. The City Planning, Development and Sustainability Office would maintain a digital map of protected establishments and update it twice a year.

What would happen to existing businesses?

Businesses already operating when the ordinance takes effect would be exempt from the distance requirements involving protected establishments.

The exemption would end following:

• A change in ownership or operator
• A change in the nature or category of the business
• A closure lasting more than six continuous months
• Lapse, revocation or non-renewal of the business permit

Businesses relying on the exemption would have to register with the Permits and Licensing Division within 60 days from effectivity. The CARE-TF would maintain a publicly accessible registry.

No-alcohol zones

Alcohol establishments would not be allowed directly across from or beside the frontage or major entrance of a school or children’s park.

A barangay could declare a defined area as a no-alcohol-establishment or no-nightclub zone, but the proposal says it may not prohibit alcohol establishments throughout the entire barangay.

The City Mayor could also declare similar areas through an executive order based on a CARE-TF recommendation.

Special permits and event exemptions

The Permits and Licensing Division would no longer issue special permits allowing businesses to operate as alcohol establishments when they do not meet the proposed standards.

Public or private tourism and cultural events may be granted exemptions by the City Tourism, Culture and Arts Office. The proposal does not give detailed conditions for these exemptions.

How distances would be measured

Authorities may use common GPS navigation applications. When GPS information is inaccurate, physical measurements, aerial maps or other routes and pathways may be used, subject to validation by the City Planning, Development and Sustainability Office.

Restaurants could serve only two individual servings per person

Restaurants would be allowed to serve alcohol only as an incident to dining and would need a separate alcohol licence.

Food must be ordered together with the alcohol, and alcohol must not exceed two individual servings per person.

A new restaurant within the restricted distance from a school, church, hospital or learning institution would not be issued an alcohol licence.

Proposed operating hours

On-premises consumption

Alcohol establishments, nightclub-type establishments, hotels, restaurants and similar businesses allowing drinking on the premises would be allowed to operate from 5:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

Last call must be at least one hour before closing. By closing time, the premises should be cleared of customers, closed and lights out.

Retail stores and delivery services

Retail alcohol sales and delivery would be allowed only from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.

This would apply to retail dealers, groceries, convenience stores, sari-sari stores and delivery applications.

Proposed noise limits

Noise would be averaged over 15 minutes.

Establishments operating after 10:00 p.m. with a licensed capacity of at least 50 people would have to install a calibrated noise-monitoring device.

For a first noise violation, the establishment would receive a warning and be required to install certified soundproofing within 60 days.

Who would not be allowed inside?

• People below 23
• Intoxicated people
• People carrying firearms or deadly weapons

Law-enforcement officers carrying firearms may enter when on official duty and either in full uniform or covered by a documented mission order verifiable with the Baguio City Police Office.

Public intoxication

The proposal prohibits drunken, boisterous, rude or indecent behavior in public places, places open to public view or within ten meters of a protected establishment when the conduct creates a safety risk, disturbs peace and order, causes or threatens injury, or causes or threatens property damage.

The provision would not apply to an intoxicated person being peacefully escorted or transported home or to a safe place, provided the person is not causing danger or disturbance and is not operating a vehicle.

Responsible service of alcohol

No establishment, event organizer or household would be allowed to serve alcohol to someone who is already drunk, intoxicated, boisterous, rude or acting indecently.

The proposal also states that alcohol must not be served to a visibly pregnant person. When uncertain, a server is directed to politely ask and, if pregnancy is confirmed, decline service and offer a non-alcoholic alternative.

Anti-drink-driving measures

Licensed establishments would have to display a permanent sign measuring at least two feet by three feet stating:

“Do not drink and drive. Penalized under RA 10586 (Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013).”

An establishment would also have to either refuse alcohol to a customer who admits intending to drive or appears to be preparing to drive, or require the customer to deposit the vehicle keys with authorized personnel.

The proposal also says commercially available breathalyzers should be used when needed.

Private-party hosts could be held responsible

The proposal includes rules for homeowners, renters, private-party organizers and other social hosts.

A host could be held liable when the host intentionally or negligently allows overconsumption by someone who admits intending to drive or appears to be preparing to drive, and the failure to intervene results in a drunk-driving traffic incident.

The registered owner of the house would be presumed to be the social host unless evidence shows otherwise. A host may avoid liability by showing reasonable efforts to prevent overconsumption or drunk driving.

Alcohol deliveries would require ID checks

Delivery platforms and riders would have to confirm the recipient’s age, require a valid government-issued ID, keep records of ID verification and refuse delivery when no ID is presented or the ID appears false.

Deliveries to people below 23 and to protected establishments such as schools and dormitories would be prohibited. Alcohol delivery would be allowed only until 10:00 p.m.

Workers handling alcohol would need training and permits

Owners, managers, bartenders, waiters, Guest Relations Officers, entertainers, supervisors and other workers handling alcohol would have to complete approved Alcohol Server Training.

Training would cover ID checks, refusal of service, identifying intoxication, de-escalation, first aid, alcohol poisoning, harm reduction, anti-drink-driving measures and relevant laws.

Covered workers would also need an Alcohol Server Work Permit issued by the City Health Services Office and renewed every ten years.

New employees would have six months to complete training and obtain the permit. During this period, they may work under the direct supervision of a permit holder. Employers would have to submit proof of enrolment in an approved course within 30 days of hiring.

Employers could be directly liable

Owners, operators and managers could be held liable for allowing untrained or unpermitted workers to handle alcohol, failing to maintain employee records or allowing workers to continue alcohol-related duties after the grace period without a permit.

Which businesses could sell alcohol?

Subject to licensing and the other requirements, alcohol could be sold or served by bars, nightclubs, cabarets, dance halls, beer houses, cocktail lounges, restaurants, hotels, retail stores, wine and fermented-liquor dealers, sari-sari stores, convenience stores, groceries and Department of Tourism-accredited establishments.

Alcohol products in retail stores could not be displayed near children’s products.

Sari-sari stores and convenience stores would be allowed to sell alcohol only in bottles or sealed containers for takeout. Drinking inside these stores would not be allowed.

Alcohol sales in carinderias and public markets

Carinderias in markets, public-market stalls and satellite markets would generally be prohibited from selling, serving or allowing the consumption of alcohol.

Exception for traditional products

Accredited traditional or indigenous fermented products such as tapuey, basi and tuba may be sold in designated stalls.

Products would have to be sold in sealed containers for take-home consumption. Vendors would need a special cultural-vendor permit, and sales to people below 23 would be prohibited.

Public drinking and selling would be prohibited

The proposal would prohibit drinking and selling alcohol in public parks, cemeteries, memorial parks, funeral parlors, alleys, city and national roads, public-transport facilities and terminals.

The restriction would also cover drinking inside vehicles, whether moving or parked, in the listed areas or places visible to passersby.

Cleanliness, safety and worker identification

Establishments selling or serving alcohol would have to be properly lighted, maintain cleanliness and personal sanitation, and protect customer safety.

Guest Relations Officers, entertainers, waiters and waitresses would have to wear nameplates measuring at least three inches by 1.5 inches and obtain applicable work permits and health certificates.

Mandatory warning signs

Alcohol and nightclub-type establishments would have to display permanent signs at entry points stating that people below 23, already-intoxicated people and people possessing firearms are not allowed inside.

Health-warning signs would also be required at points of sale and bar counters. The proposed messages state that alcohol causes several cancers, drinking during pregnancy can permanently harm the baby, and alcohol is addictive.

The notices would have to appear in Ilocano, Filipino and English. The City Health Services Office would prepare the approved templates.

Protection of women

Alcohol establishments would have to adopt measures protecting female workers and customers from sexual harassment and violence against women. The proposal does not list the exact measures required.

Alcohol advertising near schools

Alcohol advertisements and promotional materials would be prohibited within 200 meters of schools, colleges and universities, student dormitories, tutorial centers, child-care facilities and other institutions serving or housing people below 23.

The restriction would cover posters, billboards, banners, digital displays, promotional materials and signs visible from roads, streets or sidewalks.

Existing non-compliant signs would have to be removed or modified within 90 days from effectivity.

Alcohol-industry sponsorships would be restricted

The proposal would prohibit alcohol-industry sponsorships, donations or contributions involving schools, student organizations, government offices, barangays, City Government projects, sporting events, concerts, festivals, performers, artists, influencers, organizers, promoters and youth events.

It would also prohibit alcohol branding in sponsorship materials, naming rights funded by alcohol companies and corporate social responsibility activities that promote alcohol products, brands or the industry’s image.

Minimum alcohol pricing study

Within one year from effectivity, the CARE-TF would study and recommend a Minimum Unit Price for alcohol based on the price per gram of pure alcohol.

Until a separate minimum-pricing ordinance is enacted, establishments would not be allowed to sell below the manufacturer’s printed suggested retail price.

Online alcohol advertising

Online alcohol advertisements would have to use age-gating. Non-compliant websites or establishments could be reported through channels designated by the City Health Services Office for possible blocking or other government action.

Security guards

Alcohol and nightclub-type establishments would have to employ at least one licensed security guard to perform guard duty and search customers for deadly weapons, explosives and prohibited drugs.

When one guard is not enough, the establishment would have to comply with additional security requirements determined by the Baguio City Police Office.

Alcohol prohibition during emergencies

The sale, service, dispensing and delivery of alcohol throughout Baguio City would be prohibited during a declared state of calamity, state of emergency, public-health emergency or disaster.

The prohibition would begin automatically upon declaration and remain until officially lifted by the City Mayor.

Alcohol-harm reporting and referral services

Licensed establishments would have to maintain a logbook or database of violent incidents, injuries and alcohol-related emergencies and participate in annual city-led substance-abuse-prevention training.

The City Health Services Office would develop Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment programs and publish an Alcohol Harm Referral Directory within 90 days from effectivity.

The directory would include contact information for the CHSO Alcohol Harm Reduction Desk, Baguio General Hospital services, the Philippine Mental Health Association Baguio Chapter, PDEA counselling and rehabilitation services and other accredited providers.

CHSO would also publish an annual Alcohol and Public Health Report for Baguio City.

Consent before posting customer photos

Alcohol establishments would have to obtain explicit, informed and freely given consent before using an identifiable person’s photo or video for advertising, marketing or social-media promotion.

When a person in a group image has not consented, the establishment would have to blur, pixelate, crop, mask or otherwise hide the person’s identifying features.

The rule would not apply to CCTV recordings.

Businesses would also have to display notices explaining that people may opt out, ask that their image not be used, object to processing or request deletion.

How residents could file complaints

Complaints could be submitted through barangays, the Baguio City Police Office, the City Health Services Office, the BIMP+ application, Public Information Office social-media pages and other official channels.

Complaints would have to be documented and forwarded for initial assessment within 24 hours.

When a complaint is validated as involving a probable violation, an inspection would be conducted within 24 to 72 hours. Inspections may be unannounced when there is an immediate public-safety concern.

What inspectors would check

• Operating hours
• Location restrictions
• Presence of people below 23 or intoxicated people
• Required warning signs
• Anti-drink-driving policies
• Permit and licence validity
• Noise levels
• Advertising and promotions
• Other operating requirements

Possible immediate enforcement action

Authorities could issue a written warning or citation, confiscate unauthorized alcohol, require corrective action, order prohibited signs or promotions removed, or temporarily close an establishment when there is an immediate danger to public health or safety.

Inspections would have to include photos or videos, witness statements and a signed incident report.

For cases involving suspension, closure or permit revocation, the CARE-TF would deliberate and submit a recommendation to the City Mayor within seven calendar days from inspection.

Violators could be publicly identified

The City Government would publish a quarterly list containing the names of establishments found in violation, the violations committed and the penalties imposed.

Annual reports on enforcement, public-health effects and alcohol-related trends would also be submitted to the City Council.

Proposed penalties

Noise violations

Serving restricted persons

Operating outside permitted hours

Other violations

Permit revocation for serious crimes

Based on a CARE-TF recommendation, the City Mayor could immediately revoke the permit of an alcohol or nightclub-type establishment when a listed serious crime occurs and there is substantial evidence of negligence by the owner or manager.

The copy reviewed lists serious physical injuries and similar crimes, human trafficking and illegal gambling.

These appear as items (d), (e) and (f) in the document. Items (a), (b) and (c) do not appear in the copy reviewed.

Ten-year blacklist

A person whose alcohol-related business permit is revoked would be prohibited from operating another establishment involving alcohol service for ten years.

Older liquor ordinances would be replaced

The proposal would repeal and replace Ordinance Nos. 25-87, 1-89, 1-1990, 67-1990, 14-1998 and 88-2009, along with other city rules inconsistent with the proposed ordinance.

When would the proposed ordinance take effect?

The proposed ordinance has passed second reading and is awaiting approval on third reading.

If approved on third reading, it will be sent to the Office of the City Mayor, who may either sign or veto it.

If signed and the required publication is completed, the ordinance would take effect 30 calendar days after publication.

More than a proposal to raise the drinking age

The proposed minimum drinking age of 23 is only one part of the Revised Liquor Code.

The measure would introduce a wider alcohol-regulation system affecting customers, bars, restaurants, hotels, stores, delivery platforms, alcohol workers, event organizers, advertisers, government offices and private-party hosts.

It would also create the CARE-TF to oversee monitoring, public-health programs, inspections and enforcement.

For now, the proposed ordinance has passed second reading but is not yet in effect. It still needs approval on third reading and action by the City Mayor before it can move toward implementation.

Source: Proposed Ordinance No. PO 0023-20, 2026 Revised Liquor Code.