Paolo hopes dad Duterte will impose nationwide smoking ban along shorelines

Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo "Pulong" Duterte expressed his desire to help his father President Rodrigo Duterte save the beaches and suggested a nationwide smoking ban along coastlines.

"The irresponsible disposal of cigarette butts on our beaches, if left unchecked, will be a cause of a major problem in the future," the younger Duterte was quoted in a press release issued on Tuesday.

"If we are not going to do anything to stop this today, then we can only expect a bigger problem in the future," he added.

Paolo said that he noticed that many shorelines are threatened by cigarette butt litter and empty bottles of alcoholic beverages as well as household and medical waste.

He said he noticed this at surfers' favorite Baler, which he noted has been neglected despite a ban on smoking and drinking of alcoholic beverages on its beaches in 2015.

"The problem showed that our shorelines, especially the tourist destinations, have not been given the needed attention when it comes to environmental protection," he said.

"The government has disregarded this very important task," he added.

Davao City has implemented a smoking ban since 2002. This law was strengthened in 2012 where no one is allowed to smoke in all pubic places, including beaches.

"We want to preserve the environment. We want to keep the beauty of our beaches," Paolo said.

His brother, Sebastian or Baste, is also a known beach lover and an avid surfer. —Trisha Macas/KG, GMA News