Taguig intensifies no-smoking campaign
‘What we want is a healthier environment for everyone,’ Cayetano says
Strictly no smoking in Taguig!
The Taguig City government will intensify its campaign against smoking in line with the implementation of the National Smoking Ban beginning July 22, a move that aims to ensure a smoke-free environment and harness a healthy community for all.
The local government reiterated its directive for everyone to strictly comply with the city’s 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.
To give more teeth to the local government unit’s ordinance, the city’s Anti-Smoking Task Force composed of the Sanitation Office, Solid Waste Management Office (SWMO), City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), Traffic Management Office (TMO), Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) and Market Management Office (MMO) 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, a violator has to 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.
“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,” Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano said.
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.
In May 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Executive Order No. 26 which provides for the establishment of smoke-free environments in public and enclosed places.
Cities like Mandaluyong, Caloocan, Navotas, Muntinlupa, Makati, Davao, Dipolog, Legazpi, Maasin, Balanga, Roxas, Iloilo, Marikina and Santiago have also passed an ordinance against smoking, promoting instead the protection of Filipinos from the ill effects of tobacco and cigarette smoke. ###
FILIPINO VERSION
Taguig mas pinaigting ang no-smoking campaign
‘Ang gusto natin ay ang mas malusog na kapaligiran para sa lahat,’ wika ni Mayor Lani
Bawal ang paninigarilyo sa Taguig!
Paiigtingin na ng pamahalaan ng Taguig ang kampanya nito laban sa paninigarilyo kaugnay sa implementasyon ng National Smoking Ban na magsisimula sa ika-22 ng Hulyo, isang pagkilos na naglalayong masiguro ang pagkakaroon ng smoke-free na kapaligiran at komunidad para sa lahat.
Muling ipinaalala ng lokal na pamahalaan ang direktiba nito para sa lahat na sundin ang Anti-Smoking Ordinance ng bayan, kung saan ipinagbabawal ang paninigarilyo sa mga center of youth activity; mga elevator at stairwell; mga lokasyon na mayroong mga fire hazard; sa loob ng mga gusali at government institution; mga opisina, at unit; mga pampublikong sasakyan at lugar; at sa mga food preparation area.
Sa mga pampublikong lugar na may mga designated area kung saan maaaring manigarilyo, ang mga establisyemento ay kinakailangang maglagay ng mga signages na magsasabi na ito ay smoking area.
Upang mas lalong pagtibayin ang pagpapatupad ng ordinansa ng lokal na pamahalaan, ang Anti-Smoking Task Force ng bayan na binubuo ng Sanitation Office, Solid Waste Management Office (SWMO), City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), Traffic Management Office (TMO), Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) at Market Management Office (MMO) ay mas magiging aktibo sa pagbibigay ng mga citation ticket sa mga lalabag.
May multang nagkakahalaga ng aabot sa P1,000 ang naghihintay para sa mga unang lalabag, samantalang magbabayad naman ng P3,000 ang mga second-time offender.
Kinakailangan namang mag-multa ng P5,000 ang mga third-time offender. Magbabayad din ng P5,000 ang mga may-ari ng establisyemento na lalabag sa ordinansa sa ikatlong pagkakataon at haharapin ang kanselasyon ng kanilang business permits.
“Ang gusto natin ay ang mas malusog na kapaligiran para sa lahat. Ang paninigarilyo ay hindi lamang nakakasama para sa kalusugan ng smoker kundi pati na rin sa mga non-smoker. Para maging mas epektibo ang ating adbokasiya, mas paiigtingin pa namin ang polisiyang ito upang masigurado na ang bawat buhay ay maproteksyunan mula sa mga masasamang epekto ng paninigarilyo,” sabi ni Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano.
Naglabas na rin ang lokal na pamahalaan ng memorandum noong Nobyembre 2016, na nag-uutos sa mga empleyado nito na sumunod sa 2007 Revised Anti-Smoking Ordinance ng bayan na nagbabawal sa paninigarilyo “within the premises of buildings, offices, and facilities owned, leased, used, or managed by the Taguig City government.”
Ipinabatid din ng nasabing memorandum na ang mga “No Smoking” sign ay dapat ilagay sa paligid ng government facilities. Kaagad patitigilin sa paninigarilyo ang mga lalabag samantalang ang mga empleyado na mabibigong sumunod sa nasabing direktiba ay papatawan ng karampatang parusa.
Noong Mayo 2017, nilagdaan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte bilang batas ang Executive Order No. 26 na magbibigay ng smoke-free environment sa pampubliko at enclosed na lugar.
Ang mga lungsod gaya ng Mandaluyong, Caloocan, Navotas, Muntinlupa, Makati, Davao, Dipolog, Legazpi, Maasin, Balanga, Roxas, Iloilo, Marikina at Santiago ay nakapagpasa na rin ng ordinansa laban sa paninigarilyo, na nangangampanya para sa proteksyon ng mga Pilipino laban sa mga nakamamatay na epekto ng tobacco at sigarilyo. ###