Davao City’s smoking, liquor ban violators cough up P4M in fines

DAVAO City – At least P4 million worth of fines from violators of anti-smoking, liquor ban, and sobriety ordinances, have been collected by the city’s Vices Regulation Unit (VRU) from January to April this year, an official said Friday. In a radio interview, Hernando Las, head of the VRU, said violators of the antismoking ordinance alone are fined P1,000 for the first offense and P2,000 for the second offense. “They should only smoke in designated smoking areas or hide inside their house, so they don’t get caught,” he said. For the liquor ban, he said buying liquor and drinking in public places is no longer allowed from 1 to 8 a.m. Violators will be fined P3,000 for the first offense and P5,000 and imprisonment for three months for the second offense. . “We provide a smoking cessation program, issuance of permits to sell cigarettes, certificates of compliance for designated outdoor smoking areas, and smoking awareness lectures,” Las said. On May 31, the city government marked the 21st anniversary of its antismoking ordinance through a motorcade with the theme “We need food, not tobacco,” which emphasizes the importance of healthy sustenance over harmful habits. Las appealed to the city police station commanders to continue supporting the VRU in enforcing the anti-smoking, liquor ban, and sobriety ordinances. Currently, the VRU said business establishments in the city are 100 percent smoke-free.

(PNA)