THIRTY-FOUR persons were arrested by personnel of Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) for smoking in public utility jeepneys from July 25 to August 31.
Superintendent Luisito Acebuche, head of BTAO, said Friday, September 1, of the 34 violators, 23 were passengers, and 11 were jeepney drivers.
He said most of the violators were arrested at the downtown area.
The violators were fined P500 for first offense, and were given citation tickets to pay their fines within 72 hours.
Failure to pay will result to a charge 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 some of the violators still have not paid the penalty.
Traffic enforcers were tasked to monitor and arrest the smoking ban violators in public utility vehicles only.
Councilor Caesar Distrito, co-chairman of the anti-smoking task force, had earlier said the business establishments and government agencies should put up designated smoking areas.
He said the task force action team will concentrate on business establishment violators while the BTAO will arrest violators in public utility vehicles.
Distrito added that the task force action team were deployed to monitor the smoking ban compliance of business establishments.
Violators will be fined P500 for first offense, P1,000 for second offense, and P2,500 or imprisonment for third offense.
Distrito said most of the business establishments in Bacolod have complied with the required designated smoking areas.