THE Philippine Smoke Free Movement (PSFM) expressed hope there will be a declaration of support for the immediate passage of the Smoke-free Environment Bill as President Duterte delivers his final State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday (July 26).
“We want a 100-percent Smoke-free future for every Filipinos, where one will not worry [about] being seriously put at risk to diseases that are attributable to tobacco use. This is a future that is free of second-hand smoke and third hand smoke” said Xavier Peredo, PSFM national coordinator.
Peredo also appealed to Duterte to certify as urgent theSmoke -Free Bill for future generations, free from the ill-effects of smoking.
Earlier, the youth group “Academic Ease Stakeholders’ Solidarity” (ACCESS), composed of student councils and school publications from different regions,
appealed to Duterte to make House Bill 8763 or the Smoke-Free Environment bill a priority legislation.
Peredo also made an appeal to lawmakers to prioritize the proposed measure.
“The Filipino’s right to a safer and breathable environment is not debatable. It should be returned and respected through the passage of the Smoke-free environment bill. I urge our lawmakers to heed this plea and prioritize the measure.”
Covid-19 mitigation measure
“Studies have shown that smoking significantly increases an individual’s risk of developing severe Covid-19. This is a grave concern considering there are around 15 Million smokers in the country, per data from the 2015 Global Adult Tobacco Survey. One does not have to be a scientist to factor the huge risk our health system is facing due to cigarettes,” Peredo added.
He said early passage of the Smoke-free Environment Bill will support government efforts in mitigating Covid-19.
“According to our health authorities, the act of smoking is a risk factor in contracting Covid-19 and counters the government’s health promotion programs. This happens when smokers gather in smoking areas, remove their face masks and place their hands to the lips. Addedly, tobacco use produces exhaled smoke that may contain the Covid-19 virus from infected individuals thereby possibly promoting its transmission,” said Peredo.
Former Health Secretary and HealthJustice Philippines Board Member Dr. Jaime Galvez – Tan for his part stressed the importance of passing the bill. “This proposed legislation that aims to expand the smoke-free environment and strictly regulate smoking areas, which has been identified as ‘hotspots’ of Covid-19 transmission, will also contribute to government efforts to address the Covid-19 pandemic.”
He said once the bill is passed, “it will truly promote the constitutional right to health of each Filipino.”
The connection between Covid-19 and smoking is among the reasons why health advocates are pushing hard for the immediate passage of the Smoke-Free Environment bill. Apart from helping in mitigating Covid-19, a strong smoke-free law is expected to lessen the number of people who will die due to tobacco smoke; protect the Filipino people from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke; provide an environment for smokers to quit, and prevent smoking initiation among the youth.
Department of Health data showed that more than 110,000 Filipinos die every year due to diseases attributable to tobacco smoke. The economic burden brought by tobacco use is staggering with more than P 210 billion, in 2015 alone, lost to medical care and productivity losses caused by illnesses and premature deaths.
Pending smoke-free bills
Three smoke-free environment bills are pending in Congress. Senator Ronald dela Rosa sponsored Senate Bill 1976, while Representative John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto of the 3rd District of Manila backed House Bill (HB) 8754. Representatives Nina Taduran, Eric Yap, and Jocelyn Pua-Teo, all of the ACT-CIS partylist, sponsored HB 8763.
These bills sought to expand the coverage of the smoking ban in Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulations Act of 2003 to include all public places, prohibition in the establishment of indoor smoking areas, and strengthen the power of local government units to enact stricter smoke-free ordinances.
These proposed bills all seek to strengthen the anti-smoking policy of President Duterte as provided under Executive Order EO No. 26 entitled “Providing for the Establishment of Smoke-Free Environments in Public and Enclosed Places”. “The broader scope of the smoking ban in the proposed bills and their prohibition in the establishment of indoor smoking areas will definitely make the 100 percent Smoke-free environment a reality for Filipinos. It will, as well, reinforce EO 26,” Peredo said.
SDG, FCTC commitments
“The Philippines commits, under the Sustainable Development Goals, that by 2030, it will promote good health and well-being through the reduction by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory diseases”, said the PSFM national coordinator said.
“Our commitments under the SDG provide that we need to strengthen the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Under FCTC, the Philippines as a signatory, among others, obligates to provide full protection to everyone against the harms of tobacco use and second-hand smoke. The passage of the smoke-free bill gives a boost to our compliance with our SDG and FCTC obligations”, he added.
Data from the 2015 Global Adult Tobacco Survey indicated that 24.0 million adults were exposed to tobacco smoke at home; 20.2 million were exposed to tobacco smoke in public transportation; 8.1 million were exposed to tobacco smoke in restaurants; and 3.6 million adults were exposed to tobacco smoke in enclosed areas at their workplace.