BACOLOD City Councilor Caesar Distrito on Thursday, August 3, said business establishments and government agencies should put up designated smoking areas.
Distrito, co-chairman of the Anti-Smoking Task Force, said their action team will undergo training on Friday for the distribution of flyers containing information on designated smoking areas.
He added that they will discuss the procedure of apprehension and the payments of fines which will be done in coordination with the City Treasurer’s Office.
Distrito added that the City Council already passed a resolution requiring all business establishments to put up “no smoking” signage.
The management of SM City Bacolod had earlier identified their designated smoking areas outside the mall as the nationwide smoking ban was enforced starting July 22.
The SM management had already sent a memorandum to its tenants to comply with the smoking ban.
Distrito said the task force action team will concentrate on business establishment violators while the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) was tasked to arrest violators in public utility vehicles.
He added that the task force action team will be deployed to monitor the smoking ban compliance of business establishments.
BTAO Head Luisito Acebuche said from July 25 to August 3, 15 smoking ban violators were arrested in various areas.
He said of the 15 violators, 11 were jeepney passengers, and four were drivers.
The violators were fined P500 for first offense, and were given citation tickets to pay their fines within 72 hours.
For failure to pay the penalty, violators will be charged for violation of City Ordinance 641, Series of 2013, which regulates smoking in public places, including public conveyances, and advertisements, promotions, and sponsorship of tobacco products.
Acebuche said of the 15 violators, only three had paid their penalties and those who fail to pay can do community service for one and a half day at BTAO and City Health Office or else they will be charged.
He said the traffic enforcers were tasked to monitor and arrest the smoking ban violators in public utility vehicles.