QC HALL TO MOBILIZE ANTI-SMOKING PATROL

In a bid to strictly enforce a no-smoking policy in Quezon City, the QC health department has conducted an orientation and seminar on Republic Act 9211, otherwise known as Tobacco Regulations Act of 2003 and tobacco related issues, for some new personnel of the city’s department of public order and safety (DPOS).

QC health department head Dr. Antonietta Inumerable, who was tasked by Mayor Herbert M. Bautista to chair the city’s smoke-free task force, directed Dr. Rowell Romulo to facilitate the orientation and seminar on tobacco law, including the burden of smoking and the city’s policy for a smoke-free environment.

The move, Dr. Romulo said, was to train the city’s DPOS personnel who will be tapped to help in apprehending violators of the tobacco law and QC anti-smoking ordinance. He said the apprehending officers had to be knowledgeable on the provisions of the law and the hazards of smoking in public.

“We want to train the DPOS personnel as an anti-smoking patrol force that our office could mobilize for the purpose of apprehending the violators, and for better and smooth implementation of the tobacco law and ordinance,” Romulo said.

Earlier, the QC government had decided to strictly enforce a no-smoking policy in the city which will jump start at the city hall complex to include among the targets the city-paid workers and visitors.

Violators caught smoking at the city hall complex, particularly in non-designated smoking area, will be apprehended by authorities and will be penalized or fined in accordance with the law.

City hall employees who will be apprehended will be reported to the city personnel department, particularly for violation of Civil Service Commission (CSC) Circular No. 17 S 2009.

To date, the anti-smoking campaign under “Oplan Sita” at QC Hall alone has already apprehended a total of 504 in 2011, where 254 were city hall employees and the rest were visitors.

An area within the football field several meters away from the city hall high rise building is the designated smoking area for QC Hall employees and visitors. Maureen Quiñones, PAISO