Talisay City to Implement Strict Anti Smoking Ban

Right after President Rodrigo Duterte won the Presidential race on 2016, one of his priorities is to ban smoking in public places.

Executive Order 26 or the “Providing for the Establishment of Smoke-Free Environments in Public and Enclosed Places” was issued by Duterte to implement nationwide smoking ban.

In Talisay City in Cebu, they have an existing anti-smoking ordinance which prevents people from smoking in public places.

Councilor Richard “Choy” Aznar who is also the chairman on committee on health in Talisay City told Metro Cebu News (MCN) that the ordinance should be reviewed to execute strict implementation.

“Naa man tay anti-smoking ordinance. Ang ato lang ani kay ang strict implementation (We already have an anti smoking ordinance. We just have to implement it strictly),” Aznar said.

Aznar explained that big establishments like certain facilities and malls are implementing the city ordinance through putting designated smoking areas or no smoking at all.

Aznar believed that by reviewing the ordinance, it should improve the guidelines to also give awareness to the citizens.

“Hopefully kung dunay mga implementing guidelines niini mas maayo para ma giyahan pod ta (It will be much better if there are certain guidelines so it can guide everyone on what should be done),” Aznar said.

Meanwhile, Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO)-7 Regional Director Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas said that they will conduct an information drive first before they can implement the nationwide smoking ban. (MLC)