06/05/2011 | 11:48 AM
At least two Catholic bishops threw their support behind an anti-smoking campaign in Metro Manila, and backed sin taxes to discourage the “vice."
Bishop Jose Oliveros (Malolos, Bulacan) and Honesto Ongtioco (Cubao) said smoking is harmful not only to smokers but also to non-smokers.
“I am in favor of the smoking ban because we have to protect the health of the public," said Oliveros in an interview on Church-run Radio Veritas.
Excerpts of the interview were posted Friday night on the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCAN) website.
Oliveros heads the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Bio-Ethics.
For his part, Ongtioco lamented children inhale secondhand smoke in parks.
“And it is not healthy. People get cancer even if they are not smokers because they get it from the environment," he said.
Last Monday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) started enforcing a smoking ban in public places.
While people caught smoking in public areas will initially get warnings, they will eventually be fined in succeeding offenses.
Public places where smoking is banned include public government buildings, churches, schools, hospitals, public utility vehicles, terminals, jeeps, tricycles, bars and restaurants, the UCAN noted.
Meanwhile, the two bishops also suggested additional taxes on “sin products" such as cigarettes and alcoholic beverages to discourage consumption of these products.
“That way, the government will also earn more revenues. We help the individual and the government also benefits. I see the wisdom in prohibiting smoking in public places, which we should have done before. Labels such as ‘Smoking is dangerous to your health’ help," Oliveros said.
“In Malaysia the warning label on the cigarette packet is very graphic and scary. This is required by the law of Malaysia. If Malaysia can do that, why can’t we do that here?" he added.
Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino said government personnel will only be enforcing what is already in the law to protect innocents from second-hand smoke, which can be as deadly as inhaling directly from a cigarette.