'Death Clock' vs smoking unveiled in Tacloban City

TACLOBAN CITY – The nationwide campaign to press Congress to approve two bills seeking to have pictures depicting the ill-effects of smoking on cigarette packs, kicked off here yesterday with the unveiling of a giant “Death Clock.”

The Death Clock forms part of an information drive by the non-governmental organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance-Philippines to push for the passage of House Bill 3364 and Senate Bill 2377.

Using an electronic billboard, the group displays the number of people who die from tobacco-related illnesses every day.

But since this city does not have an electronic billboard yet, Mayor Alfred Romualdez had a giant tarpaulin billboard installed instead along Justice Romualdez street for the Death Clock.

Romualdez said he would also issue a directive prohibiting City Hall employees and even traffic volunteers from smoking while they are at work. 

He also committed to have existing ordinances and policies against smoking reviewed and implemented strictly, particularly those that involve public transport facilities.

“Smoking runs in our family… But I’m proud to say that in my generation, none of us smoke, none of us drink. Smoking is a wrong lifestyle. It’s not cool to smoke,” he said.

Romualdez said he does not smoke and he had long managed to convince his wife, former actress and now city councilor Cristina, to quit the habit.

“I just told her that ‘smoking will make you look old, your skin will develop wrinkles’ and, the best of all, I told her that smoking discourages me from kissing her,” he said in jest.

He, however, underscored the need for the public to “claim their rights to clean air” by calling the attention of those who smoke in public and reporting to authorities those who ignore them.

Dr. Maricar Limpin, the group’s executive director, said some 62,400 Filipinos have already died since HB 3364 was filed by Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza on Dec. 20, 2007.  

This figure was computed based on estimate that there are 240 tobacco-related deaths every day. Sen. Pia Cayetano filed SB 2377 last June.

“For each day that the bill has not been passed, the number accumulates. The campaign may be concluded upon the passage of the bills or until after such message can be retired,” Limpin said.

The first Death Clock was installed in Lawton, Manila but under the plan, the group will put up the clock in key cities nationwide. Next in line are the cities of Davao and Naga.

Limpin gave assurance that there is a technology in the Philippines to print warning pictures on cigarette packs.

The expert said such a strategy has long been adopted by Thailand and the cigarette packs being sold there were actually produced by tobacco companies based in the Philippines.

“Displaying pictures is a very effective way in showing the health hazards caused by smoking... So we appeal to our legislators to immediately pass these bills for the sake of the youth, especially those who are the target of cigarette promotions,” Limpin added .  – With Miriam Garcia Desacada