THE City Government of Davao will start imposing higher penalties for violators of the Anti-Smoking Ordinance after amendments made are now in effect.
The ordinance, which was first enacted in 2002, was amended by the 19th City Council last year and was signed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in January this year.
Under the amended law, violators of the Anti-Smoking Ordinance will be fined P2,000 for the first offense; P3,000 for the second offense; and P5,000 for the third offense and succeeding offenses.
Previously, violators were fined P1,000 for the first offense and P2,500 for the second offense.
In Section 10 or the No Contest Provision, any person who is apprehended or cited for violating the prohibited acts and does not wish to contest will be allowed to voluntarily pay an administrative penalty of P1,000, which is an increase from the previous fine of P500.
Vices Regulation Unit (VRU) Head Ashley Lopez told SunStar Davao that the City Government had been pushing for a higher penalty for violators after noticing an increasing number of violators every year.
Based on VRU's record, the unit has apprehended an average of 10,000 violators per year since 2017 and collected around P8.1 million in penalties in 2019, the highest collection made by the City Government from anti-smoking violations.
As of March 2020, VRU has already collected a total amount of P1,771,200 in penalties.
“There are people who have been habitually violating the law--same person kay maka-afford na man gud sila mobayad og 500 pesos for the citation including the penalties (There are people who have been habitually violating the law – the same person because they can afford to pay P500),” Lopez said.
He also said cigarettes are accessible throughout the years despite tighter restrictions.
However, he said currently there is a reduction of apprehensions due to the restrictions imposed under the community quarantine, which resulted in the closure of some stores and establishments due to the threat of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
“Niubos ang mga apprehensions because of restrictions and closure of stores, pero wala gyud mi niundang. Enforcement is still ongoing 24/7 (The apprehensions decreased because of restrictions and the closure of stores but the enforcement did not stop. It is ongoing 24/7),” he said.
Aside from the traditional tobacco cigarettes, he said they are also going to impose the ordinance against electronic cigarettes or vapes.
Lopez said VRU had been reiterating its stand on the health risk brought about by smoking.
While he said there is still no concrete evidence that smokers are more prone to Covid-19, there is a "higher chance" that smokers will be vulnerable to the virus.
"Smoking weakens your immune system. Once you have a weak immune system, you are prone to Covid," Lopez said, adding that Covid weakens a patient's respiratory system.
Smokers, he said, are "three to four times" more vulnerable to getting respiratory illnesses.
Lopez, meanwhile, said they are pushing for more interventions to help reduce the number of smokers in the city.
VRU announced last year that it will provide nicotine replacement therapy for individuals with nicotine dependence in Davao City.
Lopez said the mayor has allocated a P500,000-budget for purchasing medicines needed for their nicotine replacement therapy project, wherein they will be providing free medicines called nicotine pastilles that will serve as an alternative for smoking.
He said anyone who will be assessed as nicotine dependent may avail of the therapy provided by the city government. (With PR)