The Tagbilaran City government is now preparing for the impending implementation of an ordinance which will impose a smoking ban in public places.

According to Councilor Eleizer Borja, Dr. Florante Trinidad of the World Health Organization (WHO) arrived in Tagbilaran City on Thursday to evaluate the capital’s preparedness in implementing the no-smoking policy.

The assessment was carried out as the nationwide smoking ban is reportedly nearing its implementation through President Rodrigo Duterte.

Borja who chairs the Tagbilaran City Council’s committee on health said that there is already an ordinance which prohibits smoking in public areas of the city.

However, this has not yet been enforced as admitted by Borja and Vice Mayor Toto Veloso who is the city council’s presiding officer.

The ordinance authored by then-councilor Butchie Zamora was approved in 2010.

According to Borja, city legislators would have to revisit the said ordinance and study the means for its implementation.

Borja also admitted that the full implementation of the legislative measure would take “political will” as its effects would be widespread affecting both retailers of the product and consumers.

Meanwhile, Trinidad visited the municipality of Trinidad to also evaluate the town’s impending implementation of its anti-smoking ordinance which was recently approved. (Weli Maestrado and Allen Doydora)