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MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ Proclamation No. 400, May 30, 1994 ]

DECLARING GOVERNMENT HEALTH FACILITIES IN THE COUNTRY AS SMOKE FREE ZONES:

WHEREAS, in 1986 the World Health Organization (WHO), 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 every year as World No Tobacco Day;

WHEREAS, the Western Pacific Region of the WHO, where the Philippines is host and is a member country, is committed to the goal 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 entire Department of Health (DOH) compound as smoke free zone; and subsequently Administrative Order No. 15, s. 1993, declaring all health facilities under the Department 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 the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby reaffirm the commitment of the Philippines to the goal of creating a smoke free Philippines and:

A. declare all government health facilities in the country, under the national and local agencies as smoke-free zones;

B. to encourage private health facilities, to observe free zones in their respective areas;

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 this policy;

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 Filipino people to assert their rights to a smoke-free environment.1aшphi1

This proclamation shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 30th day of May, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Four.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS

By the President

(Sgd.) TEOFISTO T. GUINGONA, JR.
Executive Secretary

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation

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