Senior citizens to apprehend smokers

The city government of Makati has announced that it would be deputizing its senior citizens to apprehend anti-smoking law violators.

In a statement, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay said yesterday the city’s senior citizens would augment the police, Department of Public Safety personnel and barangay tanods in enforcing the city ordinance against smoking.

With an estimated 50,000 senior citizens in the city, Binay said that deputizing just half of them would be a big boost in manpower.

Binay added that the use of senior citizens could actually be effective in discouraging smokers from violating the city’s Revised Anti-Smoking Ordinance.

"Given the instinctive respect senior citizens elicit from the general public, the city will be deputizing our elderly in the strict enforcement of the Revised Anti-Smoking Ordinance of Makati," Binay said.

The deputized senior citizens would be issued citation tickets for the anti-smoking ordinance, which carries fines of P1,000 for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense and P3,000 or imprisonment of up to six days for the third offense.

For the business establishments that violate the ordinance, the city government has the option of closing them down or canceling their business permits on top of the prescribed fines.

Under the ordinance, establishments with a floor area of at least 100 square meters must come up with an enclosed area for smokers if they intend to provide smoking sections for their clients.

The establishments are also required to obtain the approval of the City Health Department before the actual use of the smoking area in order to ensure that all of the prescribed standards are met.

The ordinance also imposes a total ban on smoking in government and public buildings, schools, hospitals, clinics and all other enclosed public places.

Smoking inside public utility vehicles is also prohibited since there is no way to prevent the non-smoking commuters from inhaling the smoke from cigarettes.

Binay also announced that the Makati Anti-Smoking Task Force is drawing up plans to ensure effective enforcement and compliance of the ordinance.

He pointed out that the task force will conduct random and unannounced inspections of commercial establishments and buildings to monitor strict compliance of the ordinance.

The task force is also conducting an information and awareness campaign on smoking and the ordinance at all of the affected sectors.