Ona reiterates law banning sale of cigarettes near schools

MANILA, Philippines - Health Secretary Enrique Ona reminded the public yesterday that the law bans the selling of cigarettes near school premises.

Speaking to reporters, Ona said Republic Act No. 9211, the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, provides that tobacco products could not be sold or distributed within 100 meters from the school perimeter, as well as near public playgrounds or any other facility that minors frequent.

“It’s in the law, cigarettes should not be sold within 100 meters from the school... It’s the local government units (that should implement this),” he said.

In a statement, Emer Rojas, president of New Vois Association of the Philippines, a group of laryngeal cancer patients and tobacco victims, said children would pick up the smoking habit if they continue to see cigarettes being sold around them.

“Unless you clear school premises of people selling tobacco, students will continue to have access to cigarettes that will feed their nicotine addiction,” he said.

“All these tobacco control measures that we are advocating will amount to nothing if our government will not implement the law.”

“While selling cigarettes and smoking inside campuses are strictly prohibited by school officials, students can easily buy them right outside of their school.

“Children smoke because they are influenced by a society that tells them puffing cigarettes is cool. Add easy accessibility to the equation and you have a new generation of nicotine addicts that big tobacco companies will prey on.”

Rojas started smoking at the age of 17 and developed laryngeal cancer, which led to the removal of his vocal cords. 

He now speaks through an electrolarynx, a device placed against the neck and creates vibration that the speaker articulates, producing a robotic sound.

Based on the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, the Philippines has the highest number of youth smokers, aged 13 to 15, in Asia at one in four Filipinos.