Amlan Mayor Bentham dela Cruz, speaking in a media workshop on tobacco control advocacy in Dumaguete last Thursday, said that instead of a reprimand, the punishment for the first offense would be a fine of P100.
This law is now being reviewed by the Provincial Board.
The Smoke-Free Ordinance, enacted in 2009, still provides for a P500 fine for the second offense and a P1,500 fine for the third offense. In case the offender is unable to pay the fine, he or she will be made to do community service at the rate of P100 per hour.
“We have already had several persons who have done community service,” dela Cruz said.
The Ordinance also provides that of the amount collected, 40 percent goes to enforcer, 30 percent goes to the barangay and 30 percent would to a trust fund in the local government unit to be used for future anti-smoking advocacies.
Spearheading the Amlan Smoke-Free Ordinance are two councilors who used to be heavy smokers. Councilor Edmund Tubac, a heavy smoker for 40 years, kicked the habit after undergoing a quadruple heart bypass operation. The other Councilor, Melvyn Reynaldo, underwent an angioplasty.
Dela Cruz said that as a result of the campaign, 23 municipal employees have stopped smoking in public places or have stopped smoking altogether, in addition to other town residents.
“We treat smokers as
victims. They deserve all the sympathy they could get because they are addicted to nicotine,” the
mayor said, “but we are ensuring that the other people are spared from inhaling second-hand smoke.”
Dela Cruz admitted that it was difficult to promote the idea of kicking the smoking habit. “Our initial information drive was held at PTA meetings, which were attended mostly by mothers. But the campaign gained male converts after the women refused to let their husbands kiss them if they smell of cigarette smoke,” he recalled.
As a result of this advocacy, the Municipality of Amlan received the national Red Orchid Award from the Department of Health last May 30 for exceeding the parameters set by the DOH.
“The challenge now is to maintain our 100 percent rating next year. We hope it can be done,” dela Cruz said.
Amlan also received the DILG Seal of Good Housekeeping Award in 2010.
Other towns and cities in Negros Oriental have also passed laws banning smoking in public places.