Provincial officials in Oriental Mindoro held a stakeholders meeting on Monday October 20, 2025 to strengthen enforcement of a new anti-smoking ordinance covering cigarettes, tobacco, and e-cigarettes in the island province.

Dr. Cielo Angela Ante, Provincial Health Officer II and acting chief of Oriental Mindoro Provincial Hospital, led the meeting at Tamaraw Hall in Calapan City, citing the need for collaboration in different sectors to ensure effective implementation of Provincial Ordinance No. 178-2024.

The gathering brought together representatives from various provincial government departments, the Department of Education, Philippine National Police, health facilities, and other agencies.

Board Member Faye Ilano, who chairs committees on Women and Gender Equality and Good Government, attended the meeting as one of the ordinance’s principal proponents.

BM Illano reaffirmed the provincial board’s continued support for health programs, particularly policies aimed at reducing and ultimately eliminating smoking in public areas.

Discussions centered on major provisions and proposed amendments to the ordinance, including regulations on smoke-free public spaces, prohibitions on cigarette sales to minors, stricter enforcement of anti-smoking campaigns, and penalties and suspensions for violators.

Representatives from various departments shared observations, suggestions, and experiences regarding anti-smoking law enforcement to strengthen health programs and promote a healthy and safe environment for all residents of Oriental Mindoro.

Tobacco remains a major public health crisis in the Philippines, accounting for approximately 88,200 deaths annually, representing about 22.2% of all deaths in the country.

Of these tobacco-related deaths, 73,000 or 82.8% were attributed to smoking, while 18,400 or 20.9% were caused by secondhand smoke exposure.

Recent World Health Organization figures show approximately 19.9% of Filipinos aged 15 and above used tobacco products in 2024, with notably higher prevalence among males (35.4%) compared to females (4.4%).

This translates to around 16.3 million tobacco users nationwide.

The country’s most deadly diseases are visibly linked to tobacco use: smoking is responsible for 26.4% of all ischaemic heart disease deaths, 22.2% of stroke deaths, 81.3% of lung cancer deaths, and 64.3% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease deaths.