‘Davao Experience’ On Smoking Ban To Be Followed By PH
Smoking ban in the Philippines – As President Rodrigo Duterte has eyed to implement a national smoking ban in the Philippines, he said that the country will follow the implementation to the ‘Davao experience’.
“It will be followed and the implementation will follow the Davao experience,” he said a quoted in a report by ABS-CBN. Duterte has said this before leaving for a state visit to Brunei and China on Sunday.
Being the mayor of Davao City for more than twenty years, Duterte has implemented a smoking ban in the city. But, designated areas are needed to be found by people once it came to effect.
“If you want to smoke, find a place where it is allowed. It must be out. It must not be in an enclosed cubicle in a building,” said Duterte.
In Davao City, people are being penalized with P5,000 fine to four months in prison for breaking the anti-smoking law in the city.
In previous reports, Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial has already said that a draft of an executive order for the said nationwide smoking ban is just awaiting the signature of President Duterte.
Ubial already stated that the said smoking ban seemed to be a duplicate of the ordinance that has been ordered all over Davao City when Duterte was still mayor there.
Ubial said in a report that once the executive order has been implemented, public places in the whole Philippines will totally be smoke-free.
“There will be no smoking in public places anymore, whether indoor or outdoor. Parks, bus stations, and even in vehicles. All these are considered public places,” said Ubial in a report.
Duterte planned to impose the said ban because, according to him, smoking can only bring different health issues to both smokers and non-smokers alike.