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FACT CHECK: Davao City not the first in PH to impose smoking ban in public places

duterte smoking ban

Contrary to what former President Rodrigo Duterte claimed in his recent program on SMNI TV, Davao City is not the first local government unit (LGU) in the country to ban smoking in public places. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdedO35qInI

The first LGU to implement a smoking ban in public places is Quezon City, through Ordinance No. NC-73, S. 1989 passed on January 5, 1989. This was during the time of Brigido Simon Jr. as mayor and former Senator Vicente Sotto III as vice mayor.

http://libros.quezoncitypubliclibrary.org:8080/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2854/1/SP73%2cS1989.pdf

The ban was amended in 2005 through Ordinance No. SP-1515, Series of 2005 to comply with the implementing rules and regulations of the Tobacco Regulatory Act of 2003 or Republic Act 9211.

http://quezoncitycouncil.ph/ordinance/SP/sp-1515,%20s%202005-1.pdf

Davao City passed its first smoking ban ordinance in 2002.

Duterte, who served as Davao City mayor for 22 years before becoming president in 2016, mentioned the city’s smoking ban ordinance towards the end of his program last January 30 that lasted a little over three hours.

He segued to that ordinance after citing the bad effects of smoking in relation to a comment from a viewer that he and Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, SMNI owner who also hosted the program, seemed to look younger than their age.

Davao City approved in 2002 Ordinance No. 043-02 banning smoking in public places. At the time, Duterte was serving his fourth term as mayor. He was mayor from 1988 to 1998, 2001 to 2010 and 2013 to 2016. Duterte spent one term as member of the House of Representatives from 1998 to 2001.

In 2012, the city passed Ordinance No. 0367-12 increasing the coverage of the ban and repealing Ordinance No. 043-02. Called “The New Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance of Davao City,” the measure carries a maximum penalty of P5,000. 

https://www.facebook.com/notes/805044227000367/?paipv=0&eav=Afa29icBHBk4yZvYHYhbnqAZS19J4IlBJciE_uRV3I1yQuFBvpr19pv1WBGCLj0uMIA

Duterte was then the vice mayor while his daughter, incumbent Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, was the mayor.

As with all our other reports, MindaNews welcomes leads or suggestions from the public to potential fact-check stories. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno / MindaNews)

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About MindaNews Fact Check

MindaNews Fact Check seeks to fight misinformation and disinformation circulating on the internet, news platforms and communities that we serve.
 
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MindaNews Fact Check tracks and debunks fake news, false claims and misleading statements of government officials, civil society leaders and netizens being spread on the internet, especially on social media sites. MindaNews values truth and accuracy in performing our journalistic work.
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Fact-checking Unit: Romer (Bong) Sarmiento, Yas D. Ocampo

 

Mindanao Institute of Journalism

 

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Amalia B. Cabusao (Doc Can.)
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Ellen P. Alinea