Davao City -Smoke free

By official health numbers, it’s been a success. Davao City was recently awarded by the US-based Global Smokefree Partnership for its exemplary leadership and commitment to a smoke-free environment. Davao was the only city awardee along with countries Turkey, Colombia, Guatemala and India.

Since the ordinance was implemented in November 2002, Davao City has recorded a decreasing number of cases of lung cancer, said Dr. Domilyn Villareiz of the Anti-Smoking Task Force, Monday (Jan. 4) at the Kapehan sa SM.
Mortality rate from lung cancer dropped from 118 in 2008 to 38 in 2009. Ninety percent of them were heavy smokers, smoking one to two packs a day, said Villareiz, while 10 percent were non-smokers. In 2008, 153 got sick of lung cancer, while 104 were recorded in 2009.
These numbers show the direct effect of the smoking ban on improving people’s health, which, after all, is the intent of the law. The ordinance cannot be expected to stop people from smoking, but it protects non-smokers.
In seven years, 9,244 violators have been apprehended. From 1,500 in 2008, 1,193 were apprehended last year.

But as anyone who has partied in Torres St. will tell you, there are still many violators – establishments and people. This despite the required posting of restaurants of signs warning against smoking and a maximum penalty of P10,000. Establishments can apply for a smoking room, as some coffee shops and hotels have done. The task force has approved only nine smoking rooms in the city because “we discourage putting [them] up,” says Villareiz. But there have been no closures of establishments that violate the anti-smoking ordinance. “They comply if we give them the notice of violation,” she said.

Still, she admits they can’t monitor all establishments. There are only 18 of them in the task force, which is why they need the help of Davao City police. But they can only do so much.
Says Davao City Police Office chief Sr. Supt. Ramon Apolinario, “Though we have regulations on smoking, drinking, and loud noise, we still respect the rights of entrepreneurs to make money. Torres St. is the converging point of those who want to see and be seen. It is booming, especially on weekends.”
Villareiz doesn’t see a conflict between business and anti-smoking. “The ordinance is not a threat to business or tourism. It’s for public welfare,” she says.


In fact, Davao City has become a tourist destination for orientations on a smoke-free city. Villareiz says visitors from Manila, Hanoi, and Bangkok have come here to witness how a city implements the anti-smoking policy.
“It’s the in thing now for cities to be smoke-free,” she says. And Davao, as its lawmakers and people will tell you, was first.