Dr. Domilyn Villareiz, head of the anti-smoking task force announces the observance of the 14th anniversary of the anti-smoking ordinance in Davao City. (Contributed photo)
DAVAO CITY — Police here arrested more violators of the tobacco ban here, as the task force on anti-smoking said there would be no letup in the vigilance to enforce it.
Dr. Domilyn Villareiz, head of the anti-smoking task force here, said police apprehended 5,950 cases last year, up from 4,000 cases the previous year.
This netted P2,112,235 for the city from fines paid.
The city government would also recognize and award the top five police stations with the highest number of apprehensions of violators: the mobile patrol group (2,339 arrests); Sta. Ana police station (1, 773 arrests); Buhangin police station (482 arrests); Talomo police station (421 arrests); and Toril police station (326 arrests).
Smoke-free country
Villareiz said Davao City is ahead of other cities on implementing the anti-smoking campaign as they look forward to replicate the ordinance for a smoke-free country.
“We were already recognized by the international organization like Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) organization in 2007 because of our anti-smoking campaign in the city,” Villareiz said.
She said the country will not experience a difficult transition in the anti-smoking ordinance “since some cities and municipalities in the country are implenting the ordinance already”.
“We already have around 40 cities and municipalities who has this kind of ordinance,” Villareiz said, adding the number is still small, “but at least we are moving towards making the Philippines smoke-free country.”
City Police Spokesperson, Chief Inspector Milgrace Driz, said the campaign”is a huge task because the police officials are being modeled in implementing this ordinance in the city”.
“This is an accomplishment of the city, especially that it will be replicated in the whole nation,” Driz said.
Driz said that corruption must be removed saying that the ordinance would not be implemented”if there are corrupt officials.”
“The President-elect even ordered its implementation in the barangay level because he knows that the community can implement this in their areas,” Driz said.
Tobacco control
To replicate the anti-smoking ordinance of Davao City to the rest of the country, Villareiz said the national law on anti-smoking should be amended.
“The national law of the Philippine which is the Republic Act 9211 passed on 2003 is not compliant with the international safety on tobacco control called as Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC),” Villareiz said.
She added that Davao City’s ordinance is already compliant with the international especially in the smoking ban in public places.
She also wanted tobacco industries out from the interagency committee on tobaco.
“If you are working in the tobacco control you can’t have the tobacco industry be part of the committee that oversee the implementation of the national law,” Villareiz said.(davaotoday.com)
