By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. recently expressed his support for the executive order signed by President Rodrigo Duterte banning smoking in public places.
Marañon suggested smokers quit the habit, referring to it as a “vice.”
“You are just burning your money,” he stressed. “You are shortening your life.”
He suggested the administration push to increase taxes on tobacco products, noting the previous sin tax increase failed to curb the sale of cigarettes.
“They should triple the tax on tobacco so the government could receive more income,” Marañon said. “The tax money could then be used to further improve the health of citizens.”
Following the issuance of the executive order, Marañon said smoking is now prohibited in all provincial government buildings./WDJ