THE Metro Manila Development Authority on Saturday urged the 17 local government units in the National Capital Region to comply with the World Health Organization-Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC).
WHO reveals that smoking kills more than seven million people a year worldwide.
In a forum at the MMDA Auditorium in Makati City, Dr. Loida Alzona, MMDA head for Health, Public Safety and Environmental Protection, said five LGUs in Metro Manila were already compliant with the FCTC.
These are the cities of Caloocan, San Juan, Muntinlupa and Mandaluyong, and the municipality of Pateros.
The FCTC is developed in response to the globalization of tobacco epidemic and is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health.
According to Alzona, the goal is to have the entire Metro Manila compliant with the FCTC to promote better health and to lessen the cases of smoking-related diseases.
The purpose of the smoke-free forum is to “highlight experiences of the local government units in Metropolitan Manila relative to the passage and implementation of tobacco control policies compliant with Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.”
The forum tackled the effective ordinances in protecting the health of the public and the strategies towards public awareness and compliance.
For his part, MMDA chairman Danilo Lim thanked local executives in their efforts and for supporting the government’s campaign against smoking and cleaner air.
“We have to stand our grounds despite the struggles in implementing a smoke-free Metropolitan Manila,” Lim said.
The MMDA has implemented “no smoking in public places policy” and provides technical assistance to the LGUs in policy development, capacity building, communication strategies, and compliance monitoring.
Just recently, the National Police Commission ordered the Philippine National Police to strictly enforce the nationwide smoking ban in public places and conveyances.
The commission issued Memorandum Circular 2017-003 directing PNP personnel to apprehend violators of Executive Order 26 which was approved by President Rodrigo Duterte on May 16, 2017.
The directive enjoins the members of the PNP, together with the Smoke-Free Task Force under the city and municipal governments, to strictly carry out the provisions of E.O. 26 including the apprehension of violators and the institution of criminal proceedings for violations, in accordance with relevant laws, rules and regulations, and in observance of due process.
E.O. 26 is a reinforcement of Republic Act No. 9211, or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, which prohibits smoking in certain public places and the purchase and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to and by minors, and in certain places frequented by minors.
Under the law, the penalty for:
* Smoking in prohibited places and for violation of DSA (designated smoking area) standards:
-First offense: a fine of P500.00 – P1, 000.00;
-Second offense: a fine of P1, 000.00-P5, 000.00;
-Third offense: a fine of P5,000.00-P10, 000.00 and revocation of the business permits and licenses to operate.
*Selling or distributing to/ buying from minors; selling of tobacco products within 100 meters from any point of the perimeter of schools, playgrounds, and other facilities frequented particularly by minors; and failing to properly post signage required in point-of-sale establishments offering, distributing, or selling tobacco products:
-Fine of at least P5,000.00 or imprisonment of maximum of 30 days and at the court’s discretion, revocation of business licenses or permits in the case of business entity or establishment.
* Violation of advertising and promotion of tobacco products:
-First offense: a fine of not more than P100,000.00 or imprisonment of not more than 1 year, or both;
-Second offense: a fine of P200,000.00 or imprisonment of not more than 2 years, or both;
-Third offense: in addition to a fine of not more than P400,000.00 or imprisonment of not more than 3 years, or both, the business permits and licenses, in the case of a business entity or establishment, shall be revoked or canceled.
WHO said more than six million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 890, 000 are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.
It reported that tobacco use is the leading cause of death, illness and impoverishment worldwide.
“Nearly 80 percent of the more than 1 billion smokers worldwide live in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest. Tobacco users who die prematurely deprive their families of income, raise the cost of health care and hinder economic development,” the organization stated.
WHO also said that in some countries, children from poor households are frequently employed in tobacco farming to provide family income.
These children are especially vulnerable to “green tobacco sickness,” which is caused by the nicotine that is absorbed through the skin from the handling of wet tobacco leaves.