THE World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH) called on the management of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) to enforce the smoking ban inside their facilities.
Dr. Florante Trinidad, WHO Western Pacific Region national professional officer, said based on information they received from the Bureau of Quarantine, the MCIA doesn’t have a designated smoking area (DSA) yet.
But he said the MCIA is already planning to set up DSAs in their facility.
Trinidad said their office is also asking the Lapu-Lapu City government to pass an ordinance supporting E.O. 26 in order to penalize violators.
He said E.O. 26 has no enforcement provision, which could be supplemented with a local ordinance.
GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. Corporate Communications Manager Avigael Maningo clarified that the airport has its own designated smoking area.
But she said she is unsure if it is compliant with the standards set by the executive order.
“We even have designated smoking areas outside the airport. But if there are passengers who really wants to smoke while waiting for their flight, we have a smoking area which is enclosed,” Maningo said.
She told Cebu Daily News that they also plan to set up another DSA in their airport expansion plan.