AROUND 100 establishments in Baguio City failed to comply with the nationwide ban on smoking in public places.
Dra. Donnabelle Tubera of the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit said out of the 10,000 public establishments in the city, 100 were already monitored but failed to comply with the requirements of the law.
On May 18, this year, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order 26 banning smoking in all public places nationwide. It was to take effect on July 22, or 60 days after the signing of the presidential order.
EO 26 have set strict guidelines on designated smoking areas (DSA) and bans them altogether in schools, including universities, and recreational facilities for minors.
"Designated smoking areas is defined as an area of a building or conveyance where smoking may be allowed, which may be in an open space or separate area with proper ventilation," Tubera explained.
The EO also specifies that a "non-smoking buffer zone" be established for DSA's not located in open spaces that must be between the door of the DSA and the rest of the building.
Tubera pointed out due to the specifics of the Executive Order, establishment have difficulty in complying with the EO due to the expenses needed in building specific buffer zones and others as prescribed by the EO.
The EO explicitly pointed out no part of the buffer zone will allow air to escape to the smoke-free area except for a single door with an automatic door closer.
"A building or conveyance can have only one DSA, while minors are prohibited from entering the DSA or its buffer zone," Tubera added.
The EO lists centers of youth activity such as playschools, preparatory schools, elementary schools, high schools, colleges and universities, youth hostels, and recreational facilities for minors, elevators and stairwells, locations where fire hazards are present, within premises of public and private hospitals, as well as medical, dental, and optical clinic, and food preparation areas where smoking is not allowed providing the absence DSA's.
