Maasin City walks the talk on RA 9211

By BONG PEDALINO, PIA Southern Leyte
February 24, 2011

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte  –  There is a law against smoking, especially in public places.  Or there was a law about it, Republic Act 9211, since it was already signed by the President nearly eight years ago, on June 23, 2003.

The long title of RA 9211 is this: An Act Regulating the packaging, use, sale, distribution and advertisements of tobacco products and for other purposes.  Its short title, however, is really short: Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003.

Whether we go by the long or the short title, the fact remains that implementation of RA 9211 has been alive and well, in spirit and in letter, here in Maasin City, Southern Leyte province.

In less than two years since this law was introduced in this city, on April 19, 2009, several landmark activities have been undertaken by the city government to show it is serious in the campaign to rid the city of smokers, or at least to regulate their puffing of cigarettes and tobacco in selected, designated areas – under pain of reprimand or citation tickets once caught by enforcers doing so in public places.

But what are “public places”?  Section 4 of RA 9211 provided a categorical definition: these refer to enclosed or confined areas of all hospitals, medical clinics, schools, public transportation terminals and offices, and buildings, such as private and public offices, recreational places, shopping malls, movie houses, restaurants, and the like.

So, on May 31, 2009, less than two months since RA 9211 was first introduced, the city government launched its no-smoking program (NSP) and thus banned for good smoking habits in the locations mentioned earlier.

What followed was a tremendous information drive on the NSP, with implementers invariably interacting with local businessmen, motorcab drivers, potpot drivers, with matching posting of stickers on these vehicles, and stringing tarpaulins with graphic ill effects of smoking – a scare campaign, if you will – in many points around the city where people usually converged.

The Police’s patrol car with its public address system was also utilized in roving around the city, informing people of the law and the city’s response to it, the NSP.

Those who want to quit smoking on their own or with expert advice will have someone to teach them, as the city embarked on a week-long training, from August 23-28, on smoking cessation.

On September 28, 2009, a Smoke-free Task Force was created, intensifying efforts at rounding violators, with Healthy City Initiatives (HCI) Enforcers issuing citation tickets to those caught in the act.

By February 26, 2010, City Memorandum Order 099 banned the sponsorship of events by any tobacco or cigarette company and, before long, advertisement posters and billboards anywhere around the city were removed.

Then by December 30, 2010, City Mayor Maloney Samaco issued Memorandum Order 373 which required all casual and job order employees to get a certificate of non-smoker from the City Health Office as a mandatory requirement for renewal of employment.

Smoking employees were forced to quit or reduce their habit in this manner by sheer need, but many also were happy it was imposed that way, saying the NSP program really works, aside from the health benefits an individual can enjoy by simply following the law.

Still, “total vigilance is needed,” Samaco said, hopeful that in the end people can appreciate that what the city has been doing is for their own good.

Indeed, his efforts have been noticed, with the city awarded as the Urban Health Champion for 2010 and a Red Orchid Award, also in 2010, by the Department of Health (DOH).

Samaco, a non-smoker himself, pledged to continue his advocacy on anti-smoking even beyond the expiration of his full nine-year term as local chief executive, saying that even in his personal capacity he will forever push for a smoke-free Maasin City.