Taguig strengthens campaign for a healthier, smoke-free community

Yes to a smoke-free community!

The Taguig City government reiterated this on World No Tobacco Day, May 31, as it urged residents to follow the ordinance that prohibits smoking and vaping in public places, and urges smokers to do so only in Designated Smoking Areas or DSAs.

City Ordinance No. 15, Series of 2017 says that DSAs should have highly visible and prominent “Designated Smoking Area” or “Smoking Area” signs, and a message that “Minors are not allowed within these premises.” The city opened a “One-Stop Shop” registration for DSAs earlier this month and continues to encourage building owners and locators in Taguig to properly establish designated smoking zones and have them registered with the city.

Smoking and vaping in all forms of public conveyances, government-owned vehicles, accommodation and entertainment establishments, workplaces, enclosed or partially enclosed public places, public buildings, and public outdoor spaces within the city are prohibited.

Under the same ordinance, selling, advertising, and promoting cigarettes and/or Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) are not permitted within 100 meters from any point in the perimeter of a school, public playground, any office of the Department of Health (DOH) and attached agencies, hospitals and health facilities.

The sale and distribution of tobacco products and/or ENDS to minors are also outlawed.

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.

For subsequent offenses, a violator has to pay a fine of P5,000 or face imprisonment for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days, while owners of establishments who violate the ordinance for the third time will pay a fine of P5,000 and cancellation of their business permits.

For government employees, the Taguig city government also released a memorandum early this year that reiterates places where smoking and vaping is allowed, and prohibits the same “within the premises of buildings, offices, and facilities owned, leased, used, or managed by the Taguig City government,” with a warning that harsher penalties will be applied following civil service rules.

A task force composed of several departments that include the City Health Office, Local Building Office, City Engineering Office, Business Permits and Licensing Office, City Environment and Natural Resources Office, Public Order and Safety Office, City Social Welfare and Development Office, Human Resources Management Office, Solid Waste Management Office, Sanitation Office, Traffic Management Office, Market Management Office, Barangay Affairs Office, City Legal Office, the Philippine National Police, DepEd Division Superintendent of Schools, President of the Liga ng mga Barangay, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and CSO Representatives has been formed to create a safer and healthier Taguig for all.

In line with this, the city encourages residents, workers and visitors in Taguig to directly report smoking concerns to the official Facebook, Twitter andInstagram pages of the city (Official handle: Smoke-Free Taguig) which is dedicated to the campaign of the city against smoking and vaping.

“We are now stepping up the city’s initiative in fully implementing our campaign to achieve a smoke-free community so we are asking everyone to give importance and protect the health of the general public,” Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano noted.###

FILIPINO VERSION

Kampanya para sa mas malusog at smoke-free na kapaligiran pinalakas ng Taguig

Hinikayat ng Taguig City ang mga residente ngayong World No Tobacco Day, May 31, na sundin ang ordinansa ng lokal na pamahalaan na may layuning ipagbawal ang paninigarilyo at vaping sa mga pampublikong lugar.

Hinimok din ng Taguig City government ang mga maninigarilyo na gawin lamang ang paninigarilyo sa mga Designated Smoking Areas o sa DSAs.

Ayon sa City Ordinance No. 15, Series of 2017, ang mga nakatalagang DSAs ay may kaukulang mga pangalan: “Designated Smoking Area” o “Smoking Area” na madaling mabasa ng mga tao.

Meron din dapat signage ang mga DSAs na “Minors are not allowed within these premises.”

Nagbukas ang lungsod ng “One-Stop Shop” registration na may mga DSAs nitong buwan upang maging ehemplo sa mga building owners at locators sa Taguig na maglagay rin ng designated smoking zones na nakarehistro sa lungsod.

Ang paninigarilyo at vaping ay ipinagbabawal sa lahat ng pampublikong sasakyan, pang-gobyernong sasakyan, sa mga accommodation at entertainment establishment, lugar ng pinagtatrabahuhan, sa mga kulob na pampublikong lugar, pampublikong gusali, sa mga pampublikong open space.

Sa ilalim ng ordinansa, ang pagbenta, pag-advertise, at pag-promote ng sigarilyo o Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) ay hindi pinapayagan mahigit 100 metro ang layo sa mga eskwelahan, palaruan, opisina ng Department of Health (DOH) at ibang attached agencies, mga ospital at health facilities.

Ang pagbenta at pagbigay ng sigarilyo o katumbas nitong produkto at ang ENDS sa mga menor de edad ay istriktong ipinagbabawal.

Magkakaroon ng penalty na P1,000 ang ipapataw sa mga mahuhuling unang lalabag at P3,000 sa pangalawang beses.

Sa katumbas na penalty, ang mga mahuhuling lalabag ay papatawan din ng P5,000 o kulong nang hindi lalagpas sa 30 araw, samantalang ang mga may-ari ng gusali o lugar na lalabag sa pangatlong pagkakataon sa ordinansa ay papatawan ng fine na P5,000 at cancellation ng kanilang business permits.

Sa mga empleyado ng gobyerno, ang Taguig City government ay naglabas na rin ng memorandum ngayong taon na nagtatalaga ng mga lugar para sa paninigarilyo at vaping, at hindi papayagan ang paninigarilyo o vaping sa palibot ng gusali, opisina o pasilidad na pag-aari, inuupahan o ginagamit ng Taguig City government, ito ay ayon sa babala na may katumbas na mas mahigpit na kaparusahan sa ilalim ng civil service rules.

Isang task force ang binuo upang ipatupad ang ordinansa at ito ay kinabibilangan ng City Health Office, Local Building Office, City Engineering Office, Business Permits and Licensing Office, City Environment and Natural Resources Office, Public Order and Safety Office, City Social Welfare and Development Office, Human Resources Management Office, Solid Waste Management Office, Sanitation Office, Traffic Management Office, Market Management Office, Barangay Affairs Office, City Legal Office, the Philippine National Police, DepEd Division Superintendent of Schools, Presidente ng mga Liga ng mga Barangay, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, at CSO Representatives upang maging mas malusog ang kapaligiran ng Taguig para sa lahat.

Hinikayat din ng lungsod ang mga residente, manggagawa, at mga bisita sa Taguig na isuplong ang mga lumalabag sa ordinansa sa pamamagitan ng pag-ulat nito sa official Facebook, Twitter at Instagram pages ng Taguig (Official handle: Smoke-Free Taguig) na may layunin na bantayan ang mabuting pagpapatupad ng ordinansa kontra paninigarilyo at vaping.

“We are now stepping up the city’s initiative in fully implementing our campaign to achieve a smoke-free community so we are asking everyone to give importance and protect the health of the general public,” ayon pa kay Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano. ###