Saturday, October 18, 2008 Councilor deplores ignorance on new smoking ordinance
MANY residents and law enforcers of Baguio remain ignorant of the ordinance, which strengthened the national no smoking law, by totally banning smoking in all public areas in Baguio City.
Councilor Erdolfo Balajadia, chairman of the committee on health, said agencies supportive of the ordinance should initiate a countdown on when the ordinance will be fully implement so the law is properly followed.
The council earlier passed the ordinance to complement the law that bans smoking.
At the same time, an ordinance was passed strengthening the anti-smoke belching law. But like the anti-smoking ordinance, full realization of the law have yet to be felt, Balajadia observed.
The observation was issued even as the City Government earlier signed a manifesto with the Philippine Medical Association, supporting the proposal to ban smoking.
The manifesto also contained the city and the group's support of a pending legislation forcing cigarette manufacturers to print images of the ill effects of smoking on the cigarette packs.
The anti-smoking ordinance prescribes the distance from where a smoker may smoke in case he or she is near a building or any enclosed establishment.
It also defines the parameters within which establishments may allow smoking provided an enclosed, separate room is built for them to avoid spread of second hand smoke. (RO)
