ILOILO City – With 10 Filipinos reportedly dying every hour from smoking-related diseases, the Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas has intensified its campaign against cigarette and vape use, targeting both adult and youth populations across schools, workplaces, and public spaces.
Citing 88,169 tobacco-related deaths in the Philippines in 2021 alone, the health department is warning the public that “there are no safe tobacco products”, and that nicotine — whether inhaled through traditional cigarettes or e-cigarettes — poses serious health risks.
“Cardiovascular disease is the most prevalent tobacco-related disease in Iloilo,” said Nurse IV Analeen Galilea of the Iloilo City Health Office (CHO), noting that smoking is closely linked to hypertension, diabetes, and poor circulation caused by narrowed arteries.
DOH Region 6 also underscored the dangers of atherosclerosis, a condition where plaque buildup hardens and narrows arteries, limiting blood flow and potentially leading to heart attacks or strokes. Smoking is one of the major risk factors.
In a statement, the agency warned: “Yung simpleng bisyo, dala pala ay bara sa puso. Ang paghithit ng yosi ay may ka-kabit na sakit—si Ate Rose, a.k.a. Atherosclerosis.”
The campaign is being rolled out with the support of the Department of Education (DepEd), which is reinforcing no-smoking and no-vaping rules within school grounds. DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012, mandates that students caught violating tobacco policies undergo guidance and rehabilitation instead of facing disciplinary sanctions.
Both agencies aim to ramp up public education campaigns, especially among youth, to expose the dangers of tobacco and vaping. Part of this effort is the promotion of quitting services such as the DOH Quitline (1558).
DOH-6 is urging Ilonggos to cut ties with nicotine dependency and spread the message on social media: “Wag magyosi, ‘wag mag-vape! End that toxic relationship. Tag mo ‘yung tropa mong handa nang mag-let go.”
The department warned that without aggressive intervention, the region may face a growing public health crisis fueled by addiction to nicotine in all its forms./PN
