The City Council of Caloocan has unanimously passed an ordinance prohibiting spitting in public places as a measure to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 disease in the city.
Councilor Orvince Howard A. Hernandez, principal author of the bill, commended the swift approval of City Ordinance 11-111.
The measure aims at “intensifying the drive against careless, deliberate and/or indiscriminate spitting in public places in the city of Caloocan, if only to reduce if not completely stop the transmission of COVID-19 disease, providing penalties for violation thereof and for other purposes.”
“When we approved this ordinance, it was very clear in our minds that this would boost our effort to reduce, if not totally stop, the transmission of the coronavirus,” Hernandez said.
“I would like to express my gratitude to my fellow councilors who voted for this measure. Salamat din sa ating presiding officer na si Vice Mayor Maca Asistio III, at siyempre, sa ating butihing punong lungsod na si Mayor Oca Malapitan,” he added.
Section 2 of the ordinance states that no person “shall carelessly, deliberately or indiscriminately spit saliva or expel phlegm, mucous, or other substances from the mouth or from the nose in public streets, alleys, sidewalks, parks, squares, malls, markets, halls, public motor vehicles, buildings, banks, terminals, shopping and business centers, schools, churches, hospitals, clinics, and other public places.”
For the first offense, the violator shall be fined P1,000 and will be required to attend a health seminar to be conducted by the City Health Department, or subsidiary imprisonment of 10 days in case of insolvency, or both at the discretion of the court.
A fine of P5,000, or imprisonment of one month in case of insolvency, or both at the discretion of the court, will be docked for violators for the second offense.
While Hernandez noted that spitting in public places is already prohibited in the anti-littering ordinance passed “under ordinary times” in 2018, he said a strong, focused, stringent, and comprehensive anti-spitting ordinance is needed in highly-urbanized Caloocan amid the pandemic, which he described as “not ordinary times.”
“Now, prohibiting spitting in public places is no longer dedicated only to preserving and promoting cleanliness in the surroundings, but a highly-needed health measure as well aimed at protecting our people from acquiring the COVID-19 disease and other highly communicable diseases like tuberculosis,” the young councilor said.
He added: “Ako po ay naniniwala na disiplinado at responsible ang mamamayan ng Caloocan City. That’s why for me, compliance is not a problem.”
Hernandez also assured city residents that their government under Malapitan has been working hard to assist them during the pandemic.
“Nakita naman po natin na patuloy na nagbibigay ng tulong ang pamahalaang lungsod sa pamumuno ni Mayor Oca Malapitan at marami pa siyang mga programa na inihahanda para sa ating lahat,” he said.
The ordinance was unanimously approved by 13 councilors – six councilmen from District 1, six aldermen from District 2 and the national president of barangay council.
Malapitan is set to sign the approved ordinance this week.