“I AM affected by the smoking ban, but let us respect the law.”
This was the statement of Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III during a press conference at his office at the Cebu Provincial Capitol yesterday.
“I believe that city and municipal governments in Cebu have also passed ordinances against smoking in public. We should enforce it,” Davide said.
On his smoking habit, Davide said he will look for a place where he could smoke.
The executive order signed by President Rodrigo Duterte, which took effect last July 23, bans smoking in all public places nationwide.
Aside from the smoking ban, the executive order, based on Republic Act 9211 of the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, also ban the sale of cigarettes within 100 meters of schools and other youth recreation facilities, posting of promotional material for tobacco products.
Persons who will be caught smoking in public areas will be fined P500 to P1,000 for the first offense, P1,000 to P5,000 for the second offense, and P5,000 to P10,000 to for the third offense.
Cebu City Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Team (CESET) issued 26 citation tickets to violators of the anti-smoking ban yesterday morning.
Cebu City Environment Natural Resources (CCENRO) Head Joselito Vasquez said they have to pay the P2,000 compromise fee within seven days and render community service. Otherwise, they will file a case against them, she said.
Each barangay has environmental officers who were trained and deputized by CCENRO to assist the city in enforcing environmental laws, Vasquez said.
He said they have to train them to exercise patience, otherwise the case won’t prosper in court if the citation tickets are not clearly issued to the right person.
Establishments should have designated smoking areas or they won’t be able to renew their business permits, he added. (EOB, Angel Mae Bellita, USJR Intern)