MMDA No-Smoking Campaign/Policy 2011

An announcement released May 27 by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), that starting May 30, (Monday) MMDA together with 17 other Local Government Units (LGU) of Metro Manila in connection to Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, will start apprehending smokers that will be caught smoking cigarettes or puffing away in public places in all major and secondary roads of Metro Manila.

Violators will be fined PHP 500.00 on their first offense and for those who cannot afford to pay the dues will be obliged to render 8 hours of community service. It will be the MMDA, LGU Health and Environment Sanitation officers, usually accompanied by Police will be roaming around Metro Manila to keep an eye on smokers caught violating.

MMDA will be very strict on the implementation of this policy. Also, this is in preparation to the 100% Smoke-Free Environment campaign on Monday and the World No Tobacco Day celebratipon on June 1, 2011.

This is a 9.5 Million Grant fund to the MMDA to finance its Anti-Tobacco Use program.

A word from MMDA Charman Francis Tolentino “We should transform Metro Manila into a smoke-free community. A healthy Metro Manila is a healthy and progressive Philippines,”

God Bless the Philippines and more power to MMDA, this project is definitely helpful to the environment and very necessary, hope it will be implemented well. And to all cigarette lovers, let us all obey the law and smoke on right places and dispose your trash properly.