THE Muntinlupa City government has vowed to go all out in enforcing a stricter anti-smoking measure with stiffer fines and penalties to violators and an expanded coverage of the anti-smoking drive starting next month.
Under City Ordinance 17-072, known as the comprehensive anti-smoking ordinance, tobacco products and electronic nicotine delivery systems such as e-cigarette (vapes) or e-shisha is prohibited in places that are accessible to the public regardless of ownership, workplaces, government facilities, outdoor areas where people gather, except for Designated Smoking Areas compliant with LGU standards.
About 100 business establishment owners and representatives attended a forum and orientation seminar conducted by the SFTF last September 5 at the City Health Office regarding the rules and regulation of the said measure.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi encourages locals to quit smoking as it imposes risk to one’s and others’ health. The local exec also invited locals to report incidences of persons smoking in public places to authorities.
Starting Sept. 12, members of the Smoke-Free Task Force and authorized enforcers will be reprimanding any person within the jurisdiction of the city smoking in public places with no penalties under the Oplan Sita.
After the “leeway period,” violators will be penalized with citation tickets and fines of up to P2,500 or 8 hours community service for smoking and up to P5,000 or 14 hours community service for violation of sales restriction and advertising ban.
MMDA Legal Researcher Adrian Santos discussed the provisional requirements for Designated Smoking Areas. He said that DSA should be an outdoor space with no roof or walls and should not have an area larger than 10 square meters.
Santos added that the local government will be assisting members of the private sector in terms of capacity building and authorizing their security officers to reprimand violators in their premises.
Meanwhile, Muntinlupa seeks to build integrity on its implementation of campaign against illegal drugs and it starts with “cleansing” of government offices. Poblacion Barangay Hall is now a drug-free workplace after adhering in the Dangerous Drugs Board regulations.
Dangerous Drugs Board Chairman Secretary Dionisio Santiago, together with PDEA execs, led the unveiling ceremony of “Drug-Free” Barangay Hall Billboard in Poblacion last Aug. 22.
Santiago lauded Barangay Poblacion officials and the Drugs Abuse Prevention and Control Office in ensuring that government employees are drug-free and halting of illegal drugs proliferation in the offices.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi extended his gratitude to DDB and PDEA for their unwavering support in the local government’s thrust to foster drug-free workplaces and communities.
Poblacion Brgy Capt. Allen Ampaya said that declaration of their barangay hall offices free from drugs is just the beginning of their campaign in making every community in Poblacion drug-free.
Barangay Poblacion complied with DDB Regulation NO. 2 series of 2004 guidelines for the formulation and implementation of a drug-free workplace program which include: passage of a Workplace Anti-Drug Abuse Policy, Creation of a Workplace Anti-Drug Abuse Committee (WADAAT), publication and signing of policy to all employees, conduct of Anti-Drug Abuse Orientation to employees, conduct of compulsory drug test and corresponding action, and evaluation and issuance of resolution for the declaration.
Barangay employees who were found positive on dangerous drugs were terminated and were subjected to intervention through MAPALAD Program, a local rehabilitation approach for drug-users.
As of August 2017, there are two declared drug-free communities in Muntinlupa namely Gundran Compound and Pinagpala Compound in Putatan.
Muntinlupa City stands with the national government’s campaign to eradicate illegal drug activities and its adverse effects in the communities.