Bigger fine pushed for public smokers

The Cebu Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Team is mulling increasing the fine for violators of the No Smoking Ordinance in the city as it sets to strictly implement the said ordinance next week.

CESET head Samuel Dy said they will strictly implement the ordinance effective November 7, 2005.

"Since this ordinance was enacted few years ago, there is no record of apprehension because nobody is strictly implementing this. Smoking in public places is getting too rampant," Dy said yesterday.

To date, the fine for the said ordinance is only P100 for first time offense, P200 for second time offense and P500 for the third offense.

Dy said if the penalty will be increased, this might be a deterrent so that people will no longer smoke in public places.

Aside from strictly implementing the ordinance, CESET will also do the same on the implementation of putting garbage bins or receptacles at all public utility vehicles plying Cebu City routes.

The garbage receptacle requirement inside PUVs was set three years ago but it has been observed that not all have it. CESET have already informed PUV operators to put a garbage receptacle in their units.

To ensure the continued implementation of the said law, CESET is tapping the assistance of the City Traffic Operations Management and other law enforcement agencies.