Senior citizen calls out smoking jeepney driver, gets berated and told to get off

Under Executive Order No. 26, smoking is prohibited inside enclosed public conveyances, including jeepneys, whether the vehicle is moving or stationary. The order also makes persons-in-charge liable if they knowingly allow or tolerate smoking in prohibited areas.

Violations of the smoking ban under Republic Act No. 9211 can carry a ₱500 to ₱1,000 fine for a first offense, ₱1,000 to ₱5,000 for a second offense, and ₱5,000 to ₱10,000 plus possible cancellation or revocation of business permits and licenses for a third offense.

Healthwise, the Department of Health says secondhand smoke can cause coronary heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer in adults, while children exposed to it face higher risks of respiratory and ear infections, asthma attacks, and sudden infant death syndrome.

The incident also points to a broader problem with smoking in public spaces. Smokers know the health risks associated with tobacco, yet some still smoke where other people have little choice but to breathe in the same air. In a jeepney, passengers are seated just inches away from one another, leaving them with few options when someone lights up. In this case, the passenger’s account suggests that the driver was not merely unaware of the smoking ban but allegedly pushed back when it was pointed out to him.

Smoking is an addiction, but its effects extend beyond the person who smokes. When someone lights a cigarette in a crowded public vehicle, the people around them are also made to bear the consequences of that habit. The fact that a senior citizen had to call out the driver, only to allegedly be berated and told to get off, shows how smoking can become so normalized that even people who are being exposed to it are expected to simply put up with it.

The Facebook post does not establish whether the alleged incident resulted in a violation or whether a formal complaint has been filed.