Duterte to sign EO on anti-smoking ban this week

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will sign an executive order (EO) that will ban smoking in all public places nationwide this week, Health Secretary Jean Rosell-Ubial said.

During the press conference for Department of Health's (DOH) DHO, MHO and CHO Summit 2017, Tuesday, April 4, Ubial said the President will use the final and revised draft by the Department of Health.

"Nagkaroon lang ng exchanges (There were exchanges) from the original draft because Duterte has a marching order na gayahin yung in-implement sa Davao City (to copy what is being implemented in Davao City). However, the legal team of the President said it is not feasible if applied nationwide," Ubial mentioned.

She said there are other laws and revisions that need to be reviewed for the implementation.

Ubial added the executive order will mandate all the agencies of the government, including the local government, to implement the 100 percent smoking ban in all public places.

She said it is already on the President's desk and it will be signed anytime this week.

"After being signed, it will be passed to the DOH. We are then tasked to make the implementing rules and regulations (IRR)," she said.

Ubial mentioned that upon publishing the IRR, there will be a 15-day leeway before it becomes effective.

"Upon effectivity, it is up to the local government units to draft their ordinances to implement the executive order since it's different from a law," she said.

The EO, she said, is a motion to the members of the branch to implement systems that will prevent the public from smoking in public places.

"There will be no smoking in public places anymore. Parks, bus stations, and even in vehicles. These are all considered public places," she said.

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