READING ABOUT DOH PROGRAMS

Title: DOH, Lung Center, CHO promote hotline to quit smoking

Author: Lorenzo O. Lambatin, Jr.

Date: June 18, 2019

Source: Lambatin, L. (2019). Doh, lung center, cho promote hotline to quit smoking.

Retrieved on September 22, 2019 from https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1023216

Summary:

The City Health Office of Bacolod City supports the ‘Quitline’ project of the

Department of Health and Lung Center of the Philippines. Dr. Claire Caperal of the

Smoking Cessation/Tobacco Control Program stated that it carries a core message:

“Sigarilyo ay Iwasan, Kalusugan ay Pahalagahan; Mahalin ang Buhay, Bisyo ay Labanan

(Avoid smoking, value your health; Love your life, fight off vices)." She noted that this

project was inspired by the Singapore’s anti-smoking program and added that it is illegal

for minors to sell, buy, and possess a lit or unlit cigar. An adult who also asked a minor to

buy a cigarette will be held liable. Dr. Caperal said that laws should be discussed to the

youths as well as the ill effects of smoking.

Reaction:

According to the World Health Organization (2019), the use of tobacco is one of

the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. It kills more than 8 million

people a year globally. More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco

use while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand
smoke. The problem on the high rate of people using tobacco led the Department of

Health to establish the National Smoking Cessation Program (NSCP). The program

intends to promote and advocate smoking cessation in the Philippines and provide

smoking cessation services to current smokers interested in quitting the habit

(Department of Health, n.d.).

The ‘Quitline’ project of the Department of Health and Lung Center of the

Philippines is very helpful in spreading awareness to stop or avoid smoking and valuing

one’s health. The youth, the population with the highest number of mobile users and the

target population of this project in Bacolod City, will be more mindful with the use of

tobacco and its effects since there is already a ‘quitline’ whenever they want to be

counselled and be helped to quit smoking. If teenagers are unable to talk to their parents

about this habit, it will now be easy for them to open up and talk about it to other people

especially to the health workers and counsellors.

The only downside of this project is if the teenager do not have a telephone in his

or her house or a cellular phone. They cannot contact the ‘quitline’ and they might not

know where to ask for help. The city government and the schools should strengthen the

promotion of health by counselling and examining each and every student to know if they

have vices specially smoking habits. In this way, they can talk to the students and discuss

the laws as well as the ill effects of smoking. Despite this shortcoming, the project is still

of great help not only to teenagers but also to the adults in the Philippines.
References:

Department of Health. (n.d.). Smoking cessation program. Retrieved on September 22,

2019 from https://www.doh.gov.ph/smoking-cessation-program

World Health Organization. (2019). Tobacco. Retrieved on September 22, 2019 from

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco

Original Article: DOH, Lung Center, CHO promote hotline to quit smoking

BACOLOD CITY, June 18 (PIA) -- Want to quit smoking? Call the Department of Health

and Lung Center of the Philippines’ ‘Quitline’ 165-364 for assistance if you are within

Metro Manila area.

Using cellphone, Smart, Talk and Text and Sun sim card holders may call 0921-203-9534

while Globe and Touch Mobile subscribers may call 0977-672-7539.

The City Health Office (CHO) supports the ‘Quitline’ project, said Dr. Claire Caperal of the

Smoking Cessation/Tobacco Control Program of this city.

It carries a core message “Sigarilyo ay Iwasan, Kalusugan ay Pahalagahan; Mahalin ang

Buhay, Bisyo ay Labanan (Avoid smoking, value your health; Love your life, fight off

vices)," she added.

She said they are focusing on sparing the youth from getting into the vice inspired by

Singapore anti-smoking program where Singaporean’s born starting year 2000 cannot

hold, sell and buy cigarettes, paving the way for the eventual phasing out of tobacco in

the country.
She said Iloilo City has started the program patterned after Singapore last January 2018

as the DOH regional office urges schools to do its part highlighting local anti-smoking

ordinances.

The CHO is also going towards the direction beginning their campaigns in schools.

In Bacolod City, she noted that it is illegal for minors to sell, buy, and possess a lit or unlit

cigar. An adult who also asked a minor to buy a cigarette will be held liable.

Caperal said laws should be discussed to the youths as well as the ill effects of smoking.

A CHO advisory claims that “in the Philippines, a third of the population is at risk of dying

from serious illnesses and painful deaths due to tobacco use and exposure to second-

hand smoke.” (JBG/LLJR-PIA6)