SMOKERS in Dagupan beware.

The campaign in Metro Manila against smoking in public areas may soon be duplicated in the city after the city government launched on Monday the Smoke-Free Philippines Run and Health Covenant Signature Campaign seeking to ban smoking in the city’s public places and advocate a healthy lifestyle.

The campaign was opened with the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between doctors Felipe Duque, Mike Aragon, and Vivencio Villaflor III, representing the Philippine Medical Association, and Councilors Brian Lim, Redford Erfe-Mejia and Jesus Canto, representing the city government of Dagupan.

The signature campaign among barangay health nurses, local health professionals, representatives of the Department of Education, the media and other sectors followed the MOA signing.

Lim said the launching signals the start of an intensive anti-smoking campaign, that include the enforcement of existing national laws and local ordinances.

“We want people to realize that discipline starts with themselves,” he said.

Fr. Robert Reyes, an advocate of running and healthy lifestyle who stood as witness to the MOA signing, stressed that abstaining from smoking reduces the risk of acquiring non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure, heart problems, emphysema and cancer.

Reyes, who later led a fun run in the vicinity of the city plaza, called on government officials for a stricter enforcement of laws related to smoking restrictions in public areas.

He suggested increasing the fine from P500 to P5,000 as well as raising the price of cigarettes from P300 to P500 per ream of 10 packs.

The Smoke-Free Philippines Campaign is also being organized in the cities of Baguio, Tarlac, Angeles, Malolos, Valenzuela, Quezon, and San Fernando in Pampanga and San Fernando in La Union.

RH BILL

In the same event, Reyes batted for the Catholic Church’s position against the Reproductive Health bill.

“Hindi na natin kailangan ‘yan. Ang daming batas na ‘pag ipinatupad mo lang maganda ang mangyayari,” he said, quoting Rep. Manny Pacquiao.

Reyes called for the use of natural family planning methods even as he admitted that the methods under the provisions of the RH bill are more convenient.

Reyes also warned that pharmaceutical companies and politicians might use the RH bill to their advantage.

“Marami na ang naglalaway na mga pharmaceutical companies, billion dollar business ‘yan. Maraming mga politicians na pipirma sa Reproductive Health bill. Kapag maipasa ‘to, reregaluhan sila ng pharmaceutical companies,” he said. (With report from PIA-Pangasinan)

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