The apprehended smoking violators in the city have ballooned to 6,483 from April 12 to May 20 of this year.
Anti Smoking Task Group action man Volatire Engracia said that the big number of arrests can be attributed to the efforts of the task group and the Davao City Police Office as well.
Engracia said that the arrests of smoking violators was a clear message to every Davaoeṅos that the city government is serious in implementing the laws in the city.
Engracia said that the records that he acquired in just more than a month come from the data of DCPO but did not specify the demographics of the data.
“The police have apprehended a total of 6,483 anti-smoking ordinance violators, although I do not have the breakdown with me, most of the violators are still from Davao City, only 10 were identified as tourists,” he said.
He said that though it is vivid that the city is serious with its campaign against smoking, there are still many Davaoeṅos who violates it.
In line with this, Engracia has gathered officials from the barangays to create their own team who will enforce the anti-smoking ordinance in the 182 barangays in the city.
Engracia said that this will help the city in apprehending those violators in the baragay levels.
“We are now starting to organize the barangay enforcers. I have been talking with the barangay officials to let them create a team of their own that will watch over those violators,” he said
He also reminded the public that the law covers not only those retailed cigarettes but also the electronic cigarettes.
On May 31st, the Anti-smoking ordinance will mark its 15th anniversary along with the world tobacco day.
The Anti-smoking Task Group has organized a fun walk for that the Davaoeṅos can attend for free.
“We are one with the United Nation on their call that on May 31, we are hoping that the city will be entirely smoke free. I hope no one will smoke on that day, just for a day,” Engracia said.
