Local officials urge Marcos to certify smoke-free, vape-free bill urgent

A group of governors, mayors, councilors, and local health officials is urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prioritize and certify as urgent a proposed measure that would ban smoking and vaping in public places and workplaces ahead of his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27.

In a unity statement released Thursday, the coalition Local Government Units for a Smoke-Free and Vape-Free Environment (LGUs for SFVF) called on Marcos to make the immediate passage of House Bill No. 9603, or the Smoke-Free and Vape-Free Environment Bill, part of his legislative priorities.

“We, representatives of local government units, call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to make the immediate passage of House Bill No. 9603, or the Smoke-Free and Vape-Free Environment Bill, a priority in his State of the Nation Address,” the group said.

House Bill No. 9603, filed on June 1 and now pending before the House Committee on Health, seeks to establish a nationwide smoke-free and vape-free policy in public places and workplaces by amending Republic Act No. 9211 and Republic Act No. 11900.

According to the coalition, the proposed law adopts a six-point framework that includes the removal of indoor designated smoking and vaping areas, expansion of smoke-free and vape-free zones, dedicated local health funding for tobacco and vape control, incentives for local governments that effectively implement the measure, the creation of local enforcement task forces, and stiffer penalties for violators.

“The biggest victims are our children, youth, and even babies still in the womb,” the group said, noting that exposure to secondhand smoke and vape emissions increases the risk of respiratory illnesses and other long-term health effects.

The coalition said the proposed measure would strengthen existing local smoke-free ordinances by establishing a uniform national standard.

“The bill will help safeguard our schools, parks, markets, workplaces, and public spaces from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and vape aerosols,” Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said in support of the measure.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong also backed the proposal, saying local governments need a national law to reinforce smoke-free policies.

“But this protection must not rest on cities alone. We need a national law that serves as the backbone of local efforts, earmarks dedicated funding for sustained enforcement, and gives local governments the teeth to ensure proper and strict implementation,” Magalong said.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte likewise expressed support for the bill, saying it seeks to harmonize restrictions on smoking and vaping in public areas and workplaces to better protect public health, particularly among young people.

The group said millions of Filipinos remain exposed to secondhand smoke and vape emissions despite existing local ordinances, citing data showing exposure in enclosed workplaces, public transportation, and public spaces.—LDF, GMA News