MANILA, Philippines – In another episode of confusion for Filipinos and law enforcers, President Rodrigo Duterte released another sweeping policy statement based on his mere say-so: vaping will be banned in public spaces.

Without an executive order or any enacted law as basis, no less than the Philippine National Police (PNP) admitted that they could not think of a case to file against arrested vape users. So far, the instructions to cops have been to place the name of the vapers in their blotter, confiscate their devices, then set them free.

Local governments across the country, however, have passed their local ordinances that give basis for either arrests that could land users in jail, cash fines, or hours of community service.

Here’s a list of cities across the Philippines where the use of electronic cigarettes is banned in public places:

Quezon City

Ordinance number: 2737-2018

Areas of prohibition

• Places of worship
• Hospitals and healthcare centers
• Public conveyances
• Government offices
• Educational facilities primarily intended for minors
• Recreational facilities primarily intended for minors

Penalties
First offense – P500 to P1,000 fine
Second offense – P1,000 to P2,500 fine
Third offense – P2,500 to P5,000 fine

Manila City

Ordinance number: 8521-2017

Areas of prohibition

• Inside city government buildings
• Inside the compound of city government buildings
• Areas within 100 meters of city government buildings

Vape users in government building complexes can find designated smoking areas as mandated by the ordinance.

Penalties
First offense – At most P2,000 fine and/or one-day imprisonment upon discretion of the court
Second offense – At most P3,000 fine and/or two-day imprisonment upon discretion of the court
Third offense – At most P5,000 fine and/or 3-day imprisonment upon discretion of the court

Pasig City

Ordinance number: 07-2019

Areas of prohibition

• Places of worship
• Hospitals and healthcare centers
• Public conveyances
• Government buildings
• Educational and recreational facilities primarily intended for and frequented by minors

Vape users are allowed in designated vaping areas, which are permitted to be inside and outside establishments. Enclosed vaping areas cannot be in the same room as designated smoking areas.

Penalties
First offense – P500 to P1,000 fine or  one day of community service
Second offense – P1,000 to P2,500 fine or 2.5 days of community service
Third offense – P2,500 to P5,000 fine or 5 days of community service

Taguig City

Ordinance number: 015-2017

Areas of prohibition

• All forms of public conveyances
• Government-owned vehicles
• Accommodation and entertainment establishments
• Workplaces
• Enclosed or partially enclosed public places
• Public buildings
• Public outdoor spaces

Vape users are allowed in designated smoking areas.

Penalties
First offense – P1,000 fine
Second offense – P3,000 fine
Third offense – P5,000 fine

Violators can render the penalty in community service hours, reduced by payment of triple the hourly minimum wage of the city.

Pasay City

Ordinance number: 6061-2019

Areas of prohibition

• Offices
• Hospitals and health care centers
• Places of worship
• Educational and recreational facilities
• Public conveyances or transportation

Using vaping devices in all other enclosed public spaces is allowed, and in private establishments as long as their owners designate a vaping area within the premises.

Penalties
P2,000 to P4,000 fine or serve 12 to 24 hours of community service.

Muntinlupa City

Ordinance number: 072-2017

Areas of prohibition

• Public spaces except for designated smoking areas

Penalties
First offense – P500 fine or two hours of community service
Second offense – P1,000 fine or 4 hours of community service
Third offense – P2,500 fine or 8 hours of community service

Navotas City

Ordinance number: 15-2018

Areas of prohibition

• Public spaces except for designated smoking areas

Penalties
P500 to P5,000 and imprisonment, depending on the number of offenses.

Antipolo City

Ordinance number: 858-2018

Areas of prohibition

• Places of worship
• Hospitals and other healthcare centers
• Public conveyances
• Government offices
• Educational and recreational facilities primarily intended

Vape users can use their devices in designated smoking areas.

Penalties
First offense – P1,500 fine
Second offense – P2,000 fine
Third offense – P3,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 30 days upon the discretion of the court

Davao City

Ordinance number: 0367-2012

Areas of prohibition

• Accommodation and entertainment establishments
• Public conveyances
• Government buildings
• Enclosed, partially enclosed, and outdoor public spaces
• Workplaces

Vape users can get their nicotine fix at designated smoking areas which have been mandated to be outdoors.

Penalties
First offense – P1,000 and/or one-month imprisonment upon the discretion of the Court
Second offense – P,2500 and/or two-month imprisonment upon the discretion of the Court
Third offense – P5,000 and/or 4-month imprisonment upon the discretion of the Court

Baguio City

Ordinance number: 34-2017

Areas of prohibition

• Public utility and government-owned vehicles
• Public transport vehicles
• Accommodation and entertainment establishments
• Public buildings
• Public places including enclosed public spaces

Vape users can use their devices in designated smoking areas.

Penalties
First offense – P1,000 to P2,000 fine
Second offense – P2,000 to P3,000 fine
Third offense – P3,000 to P5,000 fine and/or imprisonment not exceeding 3 months upon the discretion of the court

Iloilo City

Ordinance number: 527-2014

Areas of prohibition

• School compounds and within 10 meters from entrance gates and fences of their premises
• Public buildings and within 5 meters from the entrance and walls of their premises
• Public conveyances and government vehicles
• Locations where fire hazards are present
• Within 100 meters from public and private hospitals, medical, dental, optical clinics, and pharmacies
• Accommodation buildings like hotels and motels
• Restaurants, bars, disco houses, and other entertainment establishments
• Private workplaces open to the public
• Public places where 10 or more people are convened
• Waiting sheds
• Plazas
• In front of sari-sari stores
• Exercise and wellness areas either open or enclosed
• Churches
• Sports centers, gymnasiums, cockpits, and other gaming arenas

Penalties
First offense – P500 fine and/or 24 hours of community work and/or 3-day imprisonment upon the discretion of the court
Second offense – P1,000 fine and/or 48 hours of community work and/or 5-day imprisonment upon the discretion of the court
Third offense – P5,000 fine and/or 60 hours of community work and/or 10-day imprisonment upon the discretion of the court

Bacolod City

Ordinance number: 641-2013

Areas of prohibition

• Public places
• Public conveyances

Vape users can use their electronic cigarettes in designated smoking areas set by establishments.

Penalties
First offense – P3,000 fine
Second offense – P4,000 fine
Third offense – P5,000 fine

– Rappler.com