The Metro Manila Development Authority on Wednesday cited Taguig City for its unrelenting strategy against smokers in public places and conveyances, and protect non-smokers, particularly pregnant women and children, from second-hand smoke that can cause lung cancer and other ailments.
MMDA chairman Danilo Lim said his agency recognized the effort of the Taguig City government under the administration of Mayor Laarni Cayetano to contribute to health and sanitation of Metro Manila.
“We are glad that the 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila are one with the MMDA’s effort to provide a cleaner air for all living in the metropolis. Taguig is one of those cities which are leading the way towards a smoke-free Metro Manila through their smoke free ordinance,” Lim said.
The Smoke Free Task Force of Taguig City has been established and the enforcers are undergoing training.
In July last year, local enforcers in Taguig started implementing the smoking ban in public places in the city in line with the government’s program to protect non-smokers.
“What we want is a healthier environment for everyone. Smoking has always been a risk to the health of not only the smoker but also to non-smokers. To make this advocacy effective, we are firmly implementing this policy to ensure that every life is protected from the hazardous effects of smoking,” said Mayor Cayetano.
Cayetano reiterated the city government’s directive for the people to strictly comply with the Anti-Smoking Ordinance, which absolutely prohibits smoking in centers of youth activity; elevators and stairwells; locations in which fire hazards are present; within the buildings and premises of government institutions, offices, and units; public conveyances and places; and in food preparation areas.
In public areas where smoking is allowed in designated areas, establishments are required to put up signage delineating such restricted area.
The MMDA, for its part, will assist in training of enforcers, conduct communication development workshop, and other capacity building activities. It will also help in enforcement of activities by providing technical support and manpower.
“They will also help in monitoring and evaluating of activities related to the [city] ordinance and provide technical support for the ordinance’s implementation,” said Lim.
MMDA Health, Public Safety and Environmental Protection Office director Loida Alzona also commended Taguig City for encouraging civilian participation enforcing their anti-smoking ordinance.
“Public participation is highly encouraged to further strengthen the effectiveness of this policy. We must join hand in hand towards the goal to have a cleaner surroundings and healthier people,” she said.
To give more teeth to the ordinance of Taguig, the city’s Anti-Smoking Task Force composed of the Sanitation Office, Solid Waste Management Office, City Environment and Natural Resources Office, Traffic Management Office, Business Permits and Licensing Office and Market Management Office will be active in issuing citation tickets to violators.
A fine of up to P1,000 will be imposed on first-time offenders, while an amount of P3,000 is meted out to second-time offenders.
At the third offense, violators will pay a fine of P5,000. Owners of establishments who violated the ordinance for the third time will also pay a fine of P5,000, and will face cancellation of their business permits.
The city government also released a memorandum dated last November 2016, which directed its employees to strictly comply with the 2007 Revised Anti-Smoking Ordinance of the city that absolutely prohibits smoking “within the premises of buildings, offices, and facilities owned, leased, used, or managed by the Taguig City government.”
Under the same memorandum, “No Smoking” signs will be displayed within the vicinity of the government facilities. Violators will be instructed to immediately halt the activity while employees who fail to comply with this directive will be given appropriate sanctions with corresponding penalties.
Health officials said 10 Filipinos die every hour from diseases related to smoking. Non-smoking adults exposed to second-hand smoke at home or at work have a 25 to 30 percent increased risk of developing lung cancer.
Babies of non-smoking women who are exposed to second-hand smoke during pregnancy are at risk of experiencing a small reduction in birth weight.
Smoking kills six million people a year worldwide and will cause more than 8 million deaths annually by 2030, according to the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC also reported that cigarette smoking is also responsible for more than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States, including nearly 42,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke exposure.