The Philippines has implemented a nationwide smoking ban Sunday as the health department seeks to save at least 1.5 million Filipinos from developing smoking-related diseases in the next five years.

In a statement on Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the executive order is “another milestone where the government gives priority to the right to protect public health. “

“:The implementation of this EO is a realization of our dream of a tobacco-free future Together, let us give our full cooperation and support to the smoke-free establishments in public and enclosed places,” added Abella.

Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial said they project “actually, in the next five years, we would have reduced the smoking prevalence in this country by another 8 percent."

"More or less, that is 1.5 million Filipinos, who will stop smoking or will not start smoking," she added.

Ubial said their estimate is based on the recent Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) results.

"From 2009 survey to 2015 when the next survey was done, there were a million smokers, who actually quit. So that's a decrease of about 5 percentage points," she said. .

During this period, the Sin Tax Reform Law raised prices of cigarette products and has been in effect. Last year, the Graphic Health Warning Law, where all cigarettes are required to bear pictures of warnings on the ills of smoking, was implemented.

Among areas where smoking is prohibited are in centers of youth activity, such as playschools, preparatory schools, elementary schools, high schools, colleges and universities, youth hostels, and recreational facilities for minors; elevators and stairwells; locations where fire hazards are present; within premises of public and private hospitals, as well as medical, dental, and optical clinics; and food preparation areas.

Designated smoking areas are defined as an area of a building or conveyance, where smoking may be allowed that are open spaces or separate areas with proper ventilation; there cannot be more than one DSA per establishment.

The health department expects local government units to have their respective smoke-free task forces. DMS