MPCO chief Reggie Suarez said delivery vans and other utility vehicles topped the list of smoke belchers with 3,812 apprehensions, followed by trucks with 2,377; cars, 527; jeepneys, 462; buses, 258; and taxis, 84.
"Clean air is a major concern of the city government of Makati. That’s why we have intensified our anti-smoke belching campaign to make sure that all the streets of Makati are free of smoke belchers," Suarez said and stressed that the campaign is based on a directive issued by Mayor Jejomar Binay.
Suarez said all apprehended vehicles were subjected to a smoke meter test to determine if their emission levels were in line with standards set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
First-time offenders were fined P1,000 and their car plates and/or driver’s license were confiscated, while second-time and third-time offenders were fined P2,000 and P3,000, respectively.
The vehicle registration of third-time offenders was also suspended. Suarez said the city government collected a total of P1,605,750 in fines last year.
He also noted that a total of 2,663 vehicle owners have voluntarily submitted their vehicles for smoke emission tests.
"We appreciate the gesture of these vehicle owners who voluntarily submitted their vehicles to undergo a smoke emission test. We hope that they will continue to abide by the law for us to achieve clean air and a healthy environment," Suarez said.
Makati City leads other localities in the strict implementation of the 1999 Clean Air Act.
The city also boasts of a stricter ordinance on clean air, City Ordinance No. 2004-032 or the Emission Control Code, that gives more teeth to the implementation of the law.
MPCO enforcers are deployed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily along main avenues and streets like JP Rizal St., Kalayaan Avenue, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Ayala Avenue and portions of EDSA from Gil Puyat Avenue to Magallanes.  Rhodina Villanueva