Spotted: In-Flight Advisory on Anti-Smoking Ordinance Highlighted in Health & Home Magazine

If there’s one thing that I’m proud about Davao City — and it’s extremely difficult to pick one — it’s the fact that I can breathe clean air without any trace of cigarette smoke.

The Anti-Smoking Ordinance in Davao City has been running for decades, and has successfully turned a lot of Dabawenyos away from the deadly vice. What’s more, the strict implementation of the rule has made locals and tourists enjoy the fresh air that the city has to offer.

I was recently reminded of the highly effective ordinance when I came across an old issue of Health & Home Magazine about smoking. Chief editor Jose F. Sarsoza Jr. wrote an editorial about the impact of smoking in society, but what caught my eye was his experience in boarding a plane to Davao City.

Health and Home Magazine March 2009 issue mentioned Davao City's anti-smoking ordinance
Health and Home Magazine March 2009 issue mentioned Davao City’s anti-smoking ordinance

Here’s an excerpt of the editorial that mentions the implementation of the ordinance in the city:

“Today if you take a plane for Davao City, as soon as the plan touches down, you hear the stewardess’s voice announcing, among other things, that smoking is strictly prohibited inside the airport’s terminal building and other public and business establishments in Davao City. Of all the cities I have gone to in the Philippines, I hear this announcement only in Davao City. Isn’t it time other cities followed suit?”

Expect to hear a reminder about the anti-smoking ordinance in Davao City as you land in the Davao International Airport.
Expect to hear a reminder about the anti-smoking ordinance in Davao City as you land in Davao International Airport. [Photo from George Parrilla via Flickr]
I hear this advisory every time I fly home as the plane lands in Davao International Airport, and it really reminds me how effective the ordinance is. I’m thankful that the airline companies choose to follow the ordinance and tell everyone on board about it. This kind of ordinance sets a good example for tourists who visit Davao City, because it speaks so much about how the city values clean, breathable air.

Have you heard this advisory during any of your flights to Davao City?

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2 comments

  1. You might be able to breathe cigarette smoke free air in Davao, but it is far from clean. Lots of room for improvement. Motor vehicle exhaust is bad news in Davao. I’m not suggesting it is worse than other large cities in Philippines, but it would be great to see more leadership. While visiting Davao in February I rode on an old school jeep where fumes were seeping through the floorboard. I think a positive step would be to ban these old school jeeps and stick with the smaller and cleaner ones we see plying the streets.

    • Chito | DavaoBase.com

      I agree with you on the old public utility vehicles, most of which are becoming public health risks. Removing old vehicles has been successfully implemented in taxicabs, which are mostly well-maintained. Here’s to hoping for clean air not only in Davao but in the entire country! Thanks for dropping by, Joe. 🙂

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