By Danica Atento, Gewel Genesis Agase, and Shaina Myca Tubongbanua

Legazpi City, Philippines— Nine months after the full implementation of the Comprehensive Anti-Vaping Ordinance, Legazpi City’s Smoke-Free Unit had noted a significant number of violations. 

The City Smoke-Free Unit recorded a total of 850 violations since the implementation of the ordinance last February 2025 in which among them are 20 vaping violations.

Jose Balbin, Smoke-Free Unit Team Leader, stated that the unit had 20 vaping apprehensions since the implementation of the ordinance, which according to him, is alarming since the youth composes the majority of the vape violators.

The new ordinance mandated the separation of designated areas for smoking and vaping. Requiring 3×5 meters for smoking space and an interval of 1 meter from the vaping area if establishments apply for both.

Nurse Portia Rogando, Smoke-Free Unit coordinator, stated that vaping is really harmful since the after-effects of secondhand smoke are the same as they both contain nicotine products.

“When vape users puff smoke publicly, then they are putting the public in a harmful situation because they are more likely to be subject to secondhand smoke,” Rogando stated when asked about why the city intended to regulate vape users.

Rogando added that vape users and smokers that will be apprehended are required to attend a brief tobacco intervention before settling their penalties—a requirement that would educate the violators regarding the harmful after-effects of using vape.

The Legazpi City’s initiative to regulate vape users was approved in November 2024 and started in February 2025; dedicating the interval to give ample time to reach public awareness first before implementation. This updated Comprehensive Anti-Vaping Ordinance 16-003-2023 tightened the restriction on vaping in public areas and conveyances.

Embracing the Vape-Free Ordinance

The recognition of 100% Smoke-Free establishments has been long established since 2014 as part of Legazpi City’s comprehensive smoke-free ordinance. In 2025, new rules were established—and with vaping now included in the Comprehensive Anti-Vaping Ordinance 16-003-2023, added requirements burdened the establishments’ owners.

Rogando said awardees have decreased following the inclusion of vaping in the ordinance.  One of the primary requirements in achieving the 100% Smoke-Free award now requires more than just banning traditional cigarettes; businesses must explicitly include vaping in their policy and signage.

“Aside from the required no vaping, no smoking signage that can be purchased here in the city, they should also have their own initiative that we are looking for,” Rogando added emphasizing that compliance requires more than just meeting the basic signage requirements but demonstrating a commitment to having a smoke- and vape-free environment.

Although recipients for the compliant establishments had declined compared to the previous year, Rogando said they will actively monitor and inform them about the changes under the ordinance so that they can achieve their goal of a 100% Smoke-Free city, one establishment at a time.

Encouraging Establishments and Vape Users

In the recently concluded Annual Search for 100% Smoke-Free Establishments on  December 2, 2025, 11 government offices, 7 barangays, 17 establishments, 17 schools, and 2 radio stations were recognized out of the 300 inspected establishments.

One of the recipients of the 100% Smoke-Free compliant establishment is Lola Feling, a popular semi-fine dining restaurant in Legazpi known for its cozy ambiance, homestyle, and delicious authentic Filipino and Bicolano cuisines.

The management of Lola Feling said that despite falling short last year due to previous violations, they are still committed to achieve the 100% Smoke-Free status this year to assert their willingness to contribute to the city’s initiative of creating a completely smoke- and vape-free environment. 

“Implementing the no smoking and vaping policy will start with our staff, and the signages are there so customers understand they are not allowed to vape or smoke inside,” Michelle Santos, Lola Feling Legazpi Branch Manager said.

Santos shared that the restaurant area is much cleaner now because of the new ordinance. “Cigarette butts are an eyesore, and for non-smokers like us, a ‘no-smoking and vaping’ environment is definitely better for everyone’s health and comfort,” she added.

She recalled that compared to before when signages were yet to be installed, there were other customers who would attempt to smoke or vape indoors. Now, the restriction signs had saved the staff the trouble of constantly telling them to use the designated smoking and vaping area, which is located in a parking lot outside the building.

Meanwhile, Blessy Ruth, a former vape user, hoped that the new ordinance will encourage more vapers to quit the risky habit she once took. 

Ruth started vaping at 15 but decided to quit after 2 years due to health-related reasons, believing that she was risking her life by continuing.

“I don’t vape anymore. I stopped when I was 17 because I realized I was risking my life,” she stated.

Ruth hopes that the ordinance will effectively regulate many irresponsible users and help maintain cleaner public spaces for the community.

While the implementation of the ordinance yielded positive outcomes citywide, it also had a detrimental effect on small business operations. This unintended consequence has largely strained the revenue of small vape shop businesses, leaving them completely at loss over the new ordinance.

The Struggles of Local Vape Shops

For Mark Jardin, owner of JCVS, a local vape shop, the new ordinance is just right to regulate vaping in the city. Yet, it has greatly affected their business economically.

“It’s just right to implement the ordinance as it is for the public’s welfare. Though it really weakened [our business], we cannot blame it since there are some vape vendors who sell vapes to minors,” he stated when asked about his opinion concerning the inclusion of vapes in the new ordinance. 

Jardin stated that the ordinance’s effect on their vape product pricing discouraged their customers, leading to a decline in sales.

“We have to adjust. We increased our prices, but our customers ask why they increased. We say we just have to follow the ordinance,” he said.

He added that their customers before were already few. Now that the ordinance was implemented, their shop became more infrequently visited by customers.

Challenges on Implementation

Team leader Balbin shared that they have concerned and partnered agencies such as the police, public safety office, barangay tanod, and several volunteers that are deputized to help with the implementation.

However, Balbin admitted that the 20 vaping violations were the result of the Smoke-Free Unit’s nine months of implementation of the ordinance.

“So practically, these partnered agencies just only appear on paper, but they don’t help us at all, maybe because their colleagues are smokers too,” Balbin stated.

Balbin also explained that they were unable to proactively implement the ordinance due to several reasons such as the absence of service vehicles, body cameras, and  financial constraints that limit their capacity for a city-wide implementation. 

“We are being constrained to [really] apply this ordinance since we’re currently using our personal vehicles; of course, the gasoline is costly, so it actually limits our ability to go around the city,” he shared in frustration.  

Although there are constraints, Balbin shared that hopefully by 2026, the local government will provide them a four-wheel service vehicle, four motorcycles, and body cameras that would efficiently help them access and monitor vaping and smoking city-wide.