by Irma A. Guhit
SORSOGON CITY , June 16 (PIA) .....In the Sanggunian Panlalawigan joint committee hearing here held Friday last week, the Ordinance on a Smoke Free Province of Sorsogon was collegially discussed by several member- agencies invited to the meeting.
Hon. Renato D. Guban , principal author , joined in by Hon Eric Ravanilla, member, Committe on Health, Population and Social Services presented to the body the full text of the ordinance for thorough discussion and deliberation.
Several inputs were provided by Dr. Liduvina Dorion, assistant department head of the Sorsogon Provincial Hospital here.
SORSOGON CITY , June 16 (PIA) .....In the Sanggunian Panlalawigan joint committee hearing here held Friday last week, the Ordinance on a Smoke Free Province of Sorsogon was collegially discussed by several member- agencies invited to the meeting.
Hon. Renato D. Guban , principal author , joined in by Hon Eric Ravanilla, member, Committe on Health, Population and Social Services presented to the body the full text of the ordinance for thorough discussion and deliberation.
Several inputs were provided by Dr. Liduvina Dorion, assistant department head of the Sorsogon Provincial Hospital here.
She said that this ordinance should really be passed since smoking is a public safety hazard, aside from it is considered a form too of addiction and that this affects more those non-smokers or called passive smokers.
"A lot of money from government hospitals are spent when this public safety problems can be avoided should those smokers quit smoking", she said.
Dr. Dorion spoke in reference to the many smokers who have been confined in the Sorsogon Provincial Hospital. She said some deaths in the hospital were recorded as caused by smoking.
What is really disheartening she shared is some patients who are confined are non- smokers with failing lungs due to second smoke effect.
Bacon District Sorsogon City Health Officer Dr. Hazel S. Calleja said that Sorsogon City has already implemented its smoke free ordinance and that those who are smoking specially employees were designated an area where to smoke so as not to affect those who are non-smokers.
Meanwhile Engr. Maribeth Fruto, department head of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENRO) pointed out that the Philippine Clean Air Act was approved in 1999 and not in 2003 as stated in the ordinance and should be corrected/ rectified while The Tobacco Regulation Act was approved on 2003, otherwise known as Republic Act 8749.
Dr. Dorion spoke in reference to the many smokers who have been confined in the Sorsogon Provincial Hospital. She said some deaths in the hospital were recorded as caused by smoking.
What is really disheartening she shared is some patients who are confined are non- smokers with failing lungs due to second smoke effect.
Bacon District Sorsogon City Health Officer Dr. Hazel S. Calleja said that Sorsogon City has already implemented its smoke free ordinance and that those who are smoking specially employees were designated an area where to smoke so as not to affect those who are non-smokers.
Meanwhile Engr. Maribeth Fruto, department head of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENRO) pointed out that the Philippine Clean Air Act was approved in 1999 and not in 2003 as stated in the ordinance and should be corrected/ rectified while The Tobacco Regulation Act was approved on 2003, otherwise known as Republic Act 8749.
According to the ordinanace it is of public concern that the scientific studies revealed very high statistical findings and data that smoking and the effect of second hand smoke pose serious health hazards to persons who are in the presence of smokers.
The ordinace presented also gave insights on the increasing number of Filipinos each year who die due to tobacco related illness caused by smoking and second smoke due to exposure to smokers.
In the deliberations it was discussed and emphasized that childrens rights are also violated by parents who smoke inside their house since children can not complain nor reason out with parents who expose them to effects of second smoke.
Children according to Dr. Dorion are also the most vulnerable group exposed to this kind of health hazard and little do parents smoking know that when these children suffer colds , symptoms of intense coughing and primary complex these can be attributed also to exposure to second smoke specially if a member within the household is a smoker.
She also expounded that there is a third smoke attribution, these are the residue that has been left to curtains, table clothes and other materials that can accumulate in places where smoking is done.
These can be present in places like restaurants, bars , hotels and closed areas where constant smokers hang on.
The merits of the ordinanace according to those who attended should be thoroughly spelled out in the Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR) so that the public will be well informed. and this ordinance should it be approved will be well implemented.
Dr. Dorion further stressed that there are a lot of medical practitioners who can now affirm that they have quit smoking and can be best resource on how they could share how they did it.
This ordinance needs to be popularized and given massive information dissemination so that the province of Sorsogon can best become a testimony for good governance practices, according to most of the participants.
The discussion was also focused as to who should monitor its implementation, the sanctions to be imposed and how everyone and all agencies concerned be of assistance to its full implementation.
This ordinance according SP member Guban is a must in the observance of the Clean Air Act.
The discussion was also focused as to who should monitor its implementation, the sanctions to be imposed and how everyone and all agencies concerned be of assistance to its full implementation.
This ordinance according SP member Guban is a must in the observance of the Clean Air Act.
Employees are to report those whom they see are smoking and that they will be reprimanded at first offense. Stipulated also are the penalty violation which according to Guban will be reviewed.(PIA-Sorsogon)
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