THE Davao City Vices Regulation Unit reported a decline in Liquor Ban and Anti-Smoking Ordinance violations in 2024 compared to the previous year.
Unit head Hernando Q. Las said their office recorded 1,021 apprehensions under the Liquor Ban Ordinance from January to December 2024, with 571 individuals complying. This marks a drop from 1,501 apprehensions and 1,003 compliance cases in 2023.
Similarly, Anti-Smoking Ordinance violations decreased to 6,045 apprehensions in 2024, with 5,466 individuals complying, down from 6,822 apprehensions and 6,473 compliance cases in 2023.
“Niubos siya gamay so basig na aware na sila (The decline suggests increased public awareness),” he said during the ISpeak media forum, on Thursday morning, February 20, 2025, at the City Health Office (CHO).
Violators were issued citation tickets, with first-time offenders paying P3,000 for liquor violations and P1,000 for smoking infractions. The office collected P9,965,900 in penalties for both ordinances, lower than the P12 million collected in 2023.
Las noted that anti-smoking operations mainly take place in the afternoons, as violations spike after lunchtime, while liquor ban enforcement runs from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. However, with only 50 enforcers, covering the entire city remains a challenge. To address this, they have coordinated with the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) for additional monitoring.
He also bared that three establishments were temporarily closed in 2024 for ordinance violations but have since reopened after complying with city regulations.
The 20th City Council approved the Revised Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance on April 16, 2024, and the amended Comprehensive Liquor Code on May 7, 2024, both proposed by Councilor Luna Acosta to protect minors and regulate alcohol and tobacco use. RGP