Problems in Baguio smoke-free campaign

CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Barangays are getting more active in the implementation of Ordinance No. 34-2017 or the Smoke-Free Baguio City Ordinance despite encountering obstacles in the enforcement.

During the Smoke-Free Medium-Term Planning held April 22-24 in Bauang, La Union, some barangay officials along with the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) enforcers shared their experiences in the enforcement of the ordinance, some of which were unpleasant.

They cited instances when they were scorned at the social media and derided on site.

They said there were those accosted who resort to dropping the names of city officials or other influential persons to skirt penalties.

“Others some whom call center agents tried to scare or belittle us by speaking to us in unfamiliar English terms and acting high-handed,” one enforcer related.

One barangay nutrition scholar said some of them even received death threats from those caught in the smoke-free drive.

“The threats came incessantly prompting some of our officials to consider lying low in the enforcement but that should not be an option for us for the sake of the good intention of the ordinance,” the health worker said.

Dr. Donnabel Tubera, tobacco control officer of the City Health Services Office lauded the enthusiasm and dedication of the deputized barangay officials which she said is primordial in achieving the ultimate goal of making tobacco control programs in the city sustainable.

Recently, the Baguio City Smoke-Free Task Force of the city government awarded two barangays for their exemplary performance of their smoke-free functions.

Barangays Lopez Jaena and DPS received certificates of commendation from city officials led by Mayor Mauricio Domogan.

During the planning session, representatives of at least 16 barangays joined various city government offices, line agencies and other sectors in presenting their action plans for more effective enforcement of the provisions of the ordinance in the city.

The Smoke-Free Project Team that facilitated the planning headed by Project Development Officer Cecille Agpawa said the outputs on the priority action plans will serve as basis for the strategic plan for the campaign from 2019-2022.

Around 70 participated in the planning where the task force also presented the accomplishment of the smoke-free program, result of the Baguio Adult Tobacco Survey and the Philippines Performance Index. 

In October last year, Mayor Domogan issued Administrative Order no. 136-18 that decentralizes the implementation of the smoke-free ordinance and commissioned the 128 barangays through their deputized smoke-free point persons to become part of the 16 community task forces to act as enforcers.

Among the duties of the task forces are to receive, review and process reports and complaints and notify deputized members to validate reports; inspect and monitor compliance of all places covered by the Ordinance, check the appropriateness of the designated smoking areas and recommend the approval, suspension or revocation of licenses or permits and closure of non-compliant establishments; conduct educational awareness campaigns on the ordinance, ill effects of smoking and exposure to second hand smoke and smoking cessation program; and inspect the presence of appropriate Smoke-Free signages.

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A recent Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) in the city showed a significant decrease in the prevalence of current tobacco use among adult residents.

City Health Services Office Medical Officer IV Dr. Nelson Hora bared in his talk during the Baguio City Smoke-Free Medium-Term Planning last April 22-24 that from the prevalence rate of 37.5 percent in 2014 and 34 percent in 2016, the figure dropped to 17 percent in 2019.

There was a slight decrease in tobacco use among men with 30 percent in 2019 from 32.1 percent in 2016 and 51.2 percent in 2014 while among women, the figure ebbed substantially to 7.3 percent this year from a high of 35.8 percent in 2016 and 21.8 percent in 2014.

The GATS was jointly conducted by the CHSO under City Health Officer Rowena Galpo and the St. Louis University School of Medicine Department of Family and Community Medicine which Hora also heads.

The local survey followed strictly the GATS standard guidelines utilized worldwide and covered the city’s 16 health districts with a total of 1,949 respondents aged 15 years old and above.

The study also looked into the exposure to second hand smoke in the past 30 days and found that figures for this year showed not much improvement from 2016 as against the drastic drop from 2014.

Exposure in health care facility, government facility, public transport and restaurants in 2019 registered slight increases from the 2016 rates but were a vast improvement from the 2014 figures.

The percentage of adults who believe that smoking causes serious illness remained high at 99. 12 percent.

The average monthly expenditure for manufactured cigarettes skyrocketed to P1,000 this year as compared to P450 in 2016 and P 160 in 2014 while a look at the average expenditure per week among manufactured cigarette smokers showed that majority of the respondents spend P200-299 at 31 percent; P300-P399, 23 percent; P100-P199 at 22 percent;P100, 14 percent and P400-P499, 10 percent.

The GATS also showed the following:

*Percentage of current smokers by smoking status and sex:

Current smoker --  17.6 percent overall; 30 percent men; and 7.3 percent women;

Daily smoker -- 12.8 percent overall; 22.7 percent men; and 4.3 percent women;

Occasional smoker -- 4.8 percent overall; 7.2 percent men; and 2.8 percent women.

*Percentage of adults exposed to tobacco smoke at home by smoking status and sex: 17.30 percent over all; and 17.29 percent non-smoker; 

Male 33.33 percent, non-smoker 16.89 percent; Female 21.88 percent 17.52 non-smoker.

On the interest in quitting smoking, 37 percent indicated interest to quit someday but not in the next 12 months; 22 percent said they were thinking of quitting within next 12 months; 19 percent planning to quit within the next month; 18 percent not interested in quitting; and 4 percent do not know.

On E-cigarette use, it was revealed that 1.5 percent of the respondents used E-cigarettes 2 percent of whom males and 1.1 percent females.

As to age of E-cigarette users, 4.3 percent are 15-24 years old; 1.3 percent, 25-34 years old; 0.3 percent, 35-44; 0.7 45-54; and o percent 55 years old and above.