Manila Groups Urge City Hall to Ban Indoor Smoking Areas

MANILA, Philippines — Several citizen groups in Manila are calling for a ban on indoor smoking and vaping areas in the city, saying that exposure to smoke cannot be prevented by any ventilation system within enclosed spaces. In a statement on Saturday, over 25 grassroots organizations led by Social Watch Philippines (SWP) called on Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso to implement the ban in order to prevent tobacco-related health problems. The groups included the Pagkakaisa ng mga Sari-Sari Store sa Kamaynilaan, Baseco Senior Citizens, Samahan ng mga Maliit na Manininda, Barangay 105 Health Workers, LGBTQ Solidarity Network, Pandacan Youth Association, Samahang Magkakapitbahay sa Sampaloc, among others. “Currently, the law allows each establishment to designate one smoking or vaping area, which may be located either indoors or outdoors. However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), no ventilation system can fully eliminate exposure in enclosed spaces,” said SWP national mobilization officer Sara Salvador. READ: DILG urges local gov’ts to pass ordinances supporting tobacco laws “[Health] Secretary Ted Herbosa recently called on local government units to strengthen and enforce smoke-free and vape-free ordinances. We hope Mayor Isko will seize this opportunity to protect Manileños,” she added. Aside from seeking a prohibition on indoor smoking, the groups also called for a ban on the sale of cigarettes by the piece, tighter restrictions on tobacco advertising and promotions, as well as the establishment of a Smoke-Free and Vape-Free Task Force. They also urged Domagoso to allocate funding dedicated for research, enforcement and education that helps combat smoking and vaping. Citing data from the Manila Health Department, the groups noted that there were 44,000 hospitalizations in the city from 2020 to 2025 as a result of tobacco-related diseases, cases that they said were otherwise “largely preventable.” They added that the number of hospitalizations caused by tobacco-related illness “is likely higher” since many low-income residents delay hospital treatment because of financial constraints. READ: ‘Yosi Kadiri’ returns to expose the risks in using vape The WHO stresses that all forms of tobacco use are harmful and there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco. It noted that the habit is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as over 20 different types or subtypes of cancer, among other debilitating health conditions. The tobacco industry “has promoted the installation and use of expensive ventilation systems and equipment, in an attempt to accommodate smokers and non-smokers in the same indoor enclosed spaces,” it said. However, the WHO said, “even the best ventilation systems cannot remove smoke pollutants and are ineffective in protecting from secondhand smoke,” noting that only a 100 percent smoke-free environment can protect the public from secondhand smoke.