HOUSE DELIBERATES ANEW THE ANTI-SMOKING MEASURE
For: CustomsWeek Desk
attn: Inday Varona
c/o Bobby Nazareno
--------------------------
by: Terence Mordeno Grana
THE CONSTITUTION declares it a State policy to protect and promote the rights of the people to health and to instill health consciousness among them. It further declares a policy to safeguard public health among the citizenry by discouraging cigarette and cigar smoking.
However, the existence of local ordinances banning smoking gave further impetus for the proponents of the measures in the House of Representatives to file these bills and make smoking in public places and conveyances a nationwide legislation. Additionally, scientific studies have shown that tobacco smoke have addicting and debilitating effects, affecting vital parts of the body like brain, heart and lungs, thus in turn, can cause cancer, emphysema, cardiovascular diseases and genetic defects.
On these bases, the House Committee on Health chaired by Negros Occident Representative (Rep.) Alfredo Maranon decided to submit to Speaker Manuel Villar, Jr. Committee Report (CR) No. 139 on House Bill (HB) No. 6211 on December 23, 1998, recommending the approval of the House, in substitution to HB 185 of Pasay City Rep. Rolando Briones, HB 362 of Quezon City Rep. Dante Liban and HB 1289 of Iloilo Rep. Narciso Monfort, which were filed with the same subject. The reported out measure, HB 6211, shall be known as the “Anti-Smoking Act of 1999.”
The authors of the bill said that their measure seeks to ban smoking of cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other tobacco products in all public conveyances and enclosed public places. They were swift in saying, however, that smoking areas wherein smoking may be allowed shall be designated in enclosed public places except in hospitals, medical clinics and schools.
In explaining which will prevail if this bill is approved, the national law or the local ordinance on anti-smoking which are already imposed in several municipalities and cities, Chairman Maranon said: “The Committee aimed to legislate a national anti-smoking measure, thus the national prevail(s) since an act of Congress is superior to local ordinances.”
According to Rep. Briones, as per scientific findings, the chances of dying from lung cancer are seventy (70%) per cent greater than those who have never smoked on a regular basis thus it is “imperative to adopt effective measures” to protect the health and ensure the safety of nonsmokers from the pernicious effects of cigar and cigarette smoking in public places. One effective way of controlling smoking in public places, he added, is to prohibit it and imposing penalties for its violations.
It could be recalled that during the past Congresses, the House approved on third and final reading bills of the same nature but were not duly concurred in by the Senate due to various reasons.
The Committee hopes that the report be immediately calendared by the House Committee on Rules upon the resumption of sessions so that the House can immediately commence deliberation of the instant measure in the earliest possible time.
- 30 -
attn: Inday Varona
c/o Bobby Nazareno
--------------------------
by: Terence Mordeno Grana
THE CONSTITUTION declares it a State policy to protect and promote the rights of the people to health and to instill health consciousness among them. It further declares a policy to safeguard public health among the citizenry by discouraging cigarette and cigar smoking.
However, the existence of local ordinances banning smoking gave further impetus for the proponents of the measures in the House of Representatives to file these bills and make smoking in public places and conveyances a nationwide legislation. Additionally, scientific studies have shown that tobacco smoke have addicting and debilitating effects, affecting vital parts of the body like brain, heart and lungs, thus in turn, can cause cancer, emphysema, cardiovascular diseases and genetic defects.
On these bases, the House Committee on Health chaired by Negros Occident Representative (Rep.) Alfredo Maranon decided to submit to Speaker Manuel Villar, Jr. Committee Report (CR) No. 139 on House Bill (HB) No. 6211 on December 23, 1998, recommending the approval of the House, in substitution to HB 185 of Pasay City Rep. Rolando Briones, HB 362 of Quezon City Rep. Dante Liban and HB 1289 of Iloilo Rep. Narciso Monfort, which were filed with the same subject. The reported out measure, HB 6211, shall be known as the “Anti-Smoking Act of 1999.”
The authors of the bill said that their measure seeks to ban smoking of cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other tobacco products in all public conveyances and enclosed public places. They were swift in saying, however, that smoking areas wherein smoking may be allowed shall be designated in enclosed public places except in hospitals, medical clinics and schools.
In explaining which will prevail if this bill is approved, the national law or the local ordinance on anti-smoking which are already imposed in several municipalities and cities, Chairman Maranon said: “The Committee aimed to legislate a national anti-smoking measure, thus the national prevail(s) since an act of Congress is superior to local ordinances.”
According to Rep. Briones, as per scientific findings, the chances of dying from lung cancer are seventy (70%) per cent greater than those who have never smoked on a regular basis thus it is “imperative to adopt effective measures” to protect the health and ensure the safety of nonsmokers from the pernicious effects of cigar and cigarette smoking in public places. One effective way of controlling smoking in public places, he added, is to prohibit it and imposing penalties for its violations.
It could be recalled that during the past Congresses, the House approved on third and final reading bills of the same nature but were not duly concurred in by the Senate due to various reasons.
The Committee hopes that the report be immediately calendared by the House Committee on Rules upon the resumption of sessions so that the House can immediately commence deliberation of the instant measure in the earliest possible time.
- 30 -
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