07/10/2026
๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฅ๐
An Open Letter on the Future of Nightlife in Mati City
To our City Government ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐
๐๐๐๐, City Council, fellow businesses, and the people of Mati,
We donโt usually make statements like this, but as a local business and as people who genuinely believe in the potential of Matiโs growing nightlife, we think this is a conversation worth having.
This is about how we keep nightlife safe while also giving it room to grow.
Nalipay mi makita nga slowly, naga-grow ang nightlife sa Mati. Mas daghan na ang naga-gawas, mas daghan ang events, and weโre also seeing more visitors experience what our city has to offer after dark. Weโve had guests from different parts of the country, and even from outside the Philippines.
Being part of this industry has made us realize nga dako pa gyud ang potential sa nightlife sa Mati. It can help tourism, create opportunities for local businesses and workers, and give visitors another reason to stay longer and experience more of the city.
But there is one thing we believe is worth talking about.
If our understanding is incorrect or there have been subsequent amendments, we welcome clarification and correction. Based on the ordinance available to us, Municipal Ordinance No. 77, Series of 2002, allows music bars, karaoke bars, and similar establishments serving alcoholic beverages to operate only until 2:00 AM, with the serving of liquor ending at 1:30 AM.
That was twenty-four years ago. Daghan na kaayo ang nausab since then, including how people go out and experience nightlife.
Based on what we actually see in the business, people are coming out later. Naay mga gabii nga close to midnight na naga-abot ang uban guests, naga-puno pa lang ang tables, and DJs and performers are still building their programs. Then by 1:30 AM, last call na.
And this doesnโt affect bar owners alone. Apil diri ang bartenders, servers, security personnel, DJs, performers, photographers, event organizers, suppliers, transportation providers, food businesses, and many others whose work is connected to nightlife.
For visitors, we also think there should be more to experience in Mati after the beaches, tours, and daytime activities are done.
At the same time, we understand the concerns surrounding disturbances during late-night hours. Kami mismo, we want Matiโs nightlife to be safe. Nobody in this industry benefits when people associate going out at night with trouble.
At AmiGoes, we do our best to maintain a safe and orderly environment for our guests and the surrounding community. But we also recognize nga dili lang establishments ang naay role ani. Private security, law enforcement, patrons, businesses, and the City all have a part in keeping our nights safe.
And this is where we believe operating hours and peace and order should be looked at separately.
๐๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ:๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ , ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ-๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ฒ. ๐๐ณ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ณ๐๐น๐น๐ ๐ฒ๐ป๐ท๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ๐๐ฒ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ:๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐๐ , ๐๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐บ.
As nightlife grows, we hope public safety grows with it. We would like to see stronger police visibility during late-night hours, especially in areas where there is more activity. Dako pud nga tabang sa establishments and sa public if kabalo ta nga naaโy visible presence and accessible assistance when something happens that private security can no longer reasonably handle.
And we want to be clear about where we stand: ๐๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฐ๐น๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด-๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ.
๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐! ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐. This doesnโt mean gusto namo nga walay rules ang nightlife. It doesnโt mean establishments should operate without accountability.
We support reasonable safety standards, responsible alcohol service, proper security, and enforcement of laws that protect customers and the wider community.
Ang among pangutana lang is whether requiring every nightlife establishment in Mati to stop operating at the same hour actually solves concerns about peace and order.
For us, these concerns are better addressed through responsible operations, proper security, enforcement of existing laws, cooperation between businesses and authorities, and a visible public-safety presence during the hours when nightlife is active.
๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ด๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐บ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฒ๐.
A healthy nighttime economy creates opportunities for local DJs and performers, provides work for people in hospitality, and supports food businesses, transportation, suppliers, events, and other establishments.
Known na ang Mati for our beaches and natural attractions. We have events that bring people here and bring our community together. We believe our restaurants, cafรฉs, bars, music, and nightlife can also become part of that experience.
Kung naa tay tourists and visitors diri, we want them to enjoy Mati during the day, but we also want them to have reasons to stay and experience the city after dark.
As an establishment, kabalo mi nga naa pud mi responsibility ana. We are prepared to be accountable for the way we operate, work with authorities, improve our security when necessary, and do what we can to keep our guests and the surrounding community safe.
๐ช๐ฒ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐, particularly when it comes to maintaining peace and order during late-night hours.
Municipal Ordinance No. 77 was enacted twenty-four years ago. Daghan na ang nausab sa Mati since then, and we believe it is fair to ask whether restricting the operating hours of every nightlife establishment is still the right approach today.
๐ช๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ. ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ถ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ต.
We share this with respect for the City and for everyone working to keep Mati safe. Wala mi naga-expect nga tanan mag-agree sa among position, and thatโs okay. We simply hope that our perspective, together with those of others who are part of the nighttime economy, can be heard with an open mind.
Open mi sa conversation. We would genuinely like to hear from the City, fellow establishments, people working in the nightlife and hospitality industry, our customers, residents, and anyone who wants to see Mati continue to grow.
At the end of the day, pareho ra man siguro atong gusto: ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ถ, ๐ฎ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ถ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ผ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐.
AmiGoes
Matiโs nightlife experience.
