THE HEALTH and education sectors have called on the City Government and law enforcement authorities to enforce a stricter regulation on ambulant vendors in the city, especially those plying on school vicinities, to ensure the safety of the school children and to keep them away from illegal vices.
Dr. Virginia Narciso, Department of Health (DOH) Family Health Cluster head, said at a kapihan forum that in line with the DOH’s advocacy and in observance of Safe Kids Week, Poison Prevention Week, and No Smoking Month and the recent opening of classes, they are reminding the public on the importance of child’s safety, injury prevention and control and keeping them away from other harmful and illegal vices.
Narciso said child injury remains in the top 10 causes of child morbidity and mortality. She reiterated the call on the public - parents, local government officials and police authorities to help in ensuring a safety living environment for the children, whether at home, school and the community.
On school children’s health and safety, the Health Department said strict regulation and monitoring on the safety of food, the street vendors are selling is very crucial. This is to prevent children from cases of poisoning and in acquiring other food or water related diseases especially this rainy season.
Baguio City National High School principal Dr Elma Donaal also pointed out that that aside from the unsure safety of the food being sold by ambulant vendors, some of these vendors are also the source of the illegal vices like smoking or drugs that are being peddled to students.
Recent data shows that there is an increasing incidence of cigarette smoking, among Filipino youths. Based on the Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted in the country, in coordination with the National Statistics Office in 2009, approximately 13.8 million Filipinos smoke every day and with the average age for daily smokers at 17.4 years old. The survey was conducted to 15 years of age and older, in rural and urban areas around the country, representing 61.3 million Filipinos.
The Health Department, in line with the government’s effort of achieving a 100 percent smoke- free community, is calling on the local government and police authorities to keep cigarette vendors away from school vicinities.
Donaal, meanwhile, is appealing to the City Government and the PNP to increase police visibility on school vicinities and to regularly check or monitor the other small establishments near schools, particularly the BCNHS and all of its annexes, to keep its students from harm, vices and gang related incidences. (Lito Dar)