By CESAR JOLITO III

The Bacolod City council has called on Mayor Greg Gasataya to strictly enforce the city’s anti-smoking ordinance and reconvene the Bacolod Anti-Smoking Task Force amid growing reports of rampant smoking in public spaces and transport vehicles.

In a resolution approved this week, the Sangguniang Panlungsod urged the mayor to prioritize the full implementation of City Ordinance No. 641, series of 2013, which regulates smoking in public places and requires establishments to comply with designated smoking area rules.

The ordinance, aligned with Republic Act 9211, or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, is meant to safeguard public health and reduce tobacco-related harms.

Principal author Councilor Caesar Distrito stressed that while Bacolod has a strong anti-smoking ordinance, enforcement has weakened in recent years.

“This resolution is a call to action. The law only works if implemented consistently. When the task force was active from 2016 to 2019, we saw clear results in curbing violations. We must protect our people, especially the youth, from tobacco’s dangers,” Distrito said.

Co-authors Councilors Dindo Ramos, Celia Flor and Israel Salanga echoed the need for renewed enforcement.

Ramos underscored the economic impact, noting that illegal and non-compliant cigarette products not only endanger public health but also deprive the government of excise tax revenues.

Flor emphasized the importance of pairing enforcement with public education campaigns, while Salanga cited widespread disregard for smoking restrictions in public areas and the need to restore discipline through monitoring and compliance checks./CJ, WDJ