Proclamation No. 400, s. 1994

MALACANAMANILA M p.() fD c,s: BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES PROCLAMATION NO. ~~ DECLARING GOVERNMENT SMOKE FREE ZONES: HEAI.JTH FACILITIES IN THE COUNTRY AS WHEREAS, in 1986 the World Health Organizatj,on (WHO) I in its 39th World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted the tobacco or Health resolution (WHA 39.14) and called upon all member states to observe May 31 ever)' year as World No Tobacco Day; WHEREAS, the Western Pacific Region of the WHO, where the Philippin"es is host and is a member country, is committed to the goai of creating smoke free communities; WHEREAS, environmental Tobacco smoke or passive smoking is equally harmful to non-smokers who have the right to breathe clean air in public places; WHEREAS, in 1993, the Secretary of Health issued Administrative Order No.8, s. 1993, declaring the ent.j re Department of Health (DOH) cc"npound as smoke free zone; and subsequently Administrative Order No. 15, s. 1993, declaring all health facilities under the D:partment of health as smoke free zones; WHEREAS, health facilities are considered to be windows for healthful activities in the country and that government health workers are looked upon as role models to the people they are serving; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of theRepublic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in tr,e by the Constitution, do hereby reaffirm the commitment of the Philippines to the goal of creating a smoke free Philippines and: A.country,zones; declare all government health facilities in the under the national and local agencies as smoke-free B. to encourage private health facilitie, free zones in their respective areas; to observe ,c. designate the Department of Health (DOH) as the lead government agency tasked to coordinate with all government and non-government agencies and other governmental organization in the strict observance of thispolicy; "Declaring all government health facilities in the couutry as smoke free zons" x x 2 D. enjoin all Provincial, Municipal, and City governments to enact local legislation providing for the protection of both adults and children against smoking in public places, public conveyances and the health hazards of passive smoking as well their strict enforcement and; E. encourage the Filipinorights to a smoke-free evironment. people their to assert This proclamation shall take effect immediately. - Done in the City of Manila this ~~ay of May, year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hund~'eo- and Ninety-Four. in the 1 ~ By the President ~ JlJ JR. TFt>FISTcjrT.Executive Secretary 'IJ f-smokefre.pc