Lawmaker wants to criminalize spitting in public

MANILA, Philippines - A senior administration lawmaker pushed for the passage of a bill that seeks to criminalize spitting in public places, which he said may cause the spread of diseases.

Alliance of Volunteer Educators party-list Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay authored House Bill 5901 seeking to address the bad habit of spitting in public places, which may cause the spread of tuberculosis (TB) and hepatitis, among others.

Under the measure, no person shall carelessly or intentionally spit saliva, phlegm, mucus or other substances in public places such as the city streets, alleys, sidewalks, parks, markets, public halls, malls, buildings, terminals, schools, churches, hospitals and other similar public places.

Citing a report of World Health Organization (WHO), Magsaysay said the number of deaths due to TB stands at an average of 75 Filipinos every day and is contagious and airborne.

“According to the WHO, the Philippines has a long way to go in eradicating TB even if the Department of Health (DOH) confidently announced that the country will be able to attain the millennium development goal of reducing TB deaths by 50 percent within five years or 2015,” Magsaysay said.

“Mycobacterism tuberculosis, the bacteria which causes TB, can survive in a dried state for weeks up to eight months. Spitting has been identified as one of the factors in the spread of TB,” he said.

Under the bill, persons caught spitting in public places face a jail term of six months and shall be slapped with a fine of P500 for first offense; P1,000 for the second offense; and P2,000 for the third offense.

The violator is also required to attend a health seminar conducted by the DOH in coordination with local health units.

“While anti-spitting laws have been in existence in a number of jurisdictions like Singapore, India, Malaysia, and China, only Davao City has vigorously implemented a similar law in the country since 2010,” Magsaysay said.

He said Metro Manila mayors approved a resolution prohibiting spitting in public places as a means to combat Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), but no significant change happened since its implementation.