24 September 2017:

Bacolod City – A total of 290 persons and business establishments have been fined, as of September 22, for violating this city’s anti-smoking ordinance, records of the Bacolod City Anti-Smoking Task Force (BASTF)-Action Team showed.

Of this number, 250 persons were apprehended, while 40 establishments were fined since the BASTF started operating September 1.

Councilor Caesar Distrito, author of the Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance of Bacolod and task force co-chairman, said majority of the violators were found at the plaza and downtown.

He added that business establishments were cited for failure to comply with the required designated smoking area and warning signs as well as for tolerating smokers.

Distrito said individual violators and establishments were issued citation tickets which stated the specific violation and the corresponding penalty, and were given five days to settle at the authorized collecting outlets of the City Treasurers Office.

He urged those who have been apprehended to settle their fines to prevent legal charges from being filed against them.

Source: Manila Bulletin
SEATCA Publications: Smoke-free Environment