Public smoking is being banned along all major and secondary roads of the metropolis with effect from May 30. Officers from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), together with the 17 local government units (LGU) of Metro Manila, will enforce the ban. Routine checking will be held in bus terminals, waiting sheds, schools, hospitals, recreational places and inside public utility vehicles starting May 30 as part of a joint campaign to protect Filipinos from the ill effects of passive smoking.  

The smoking ban came just in time for the World No Tobacco Day celebration on June 1 and the  New York-based Bloomberg Philanthropies has approved a P9.5-million grant for the program.

MMDA's "environmental enforcers" will issue warnings to those who will be caught violating the provisions of Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 for the month of June. Penalties including  fines and community service, will come to force in July. However the Philippine Tobacco Institute (PTI) said it is against the smoking ban in major and secondary roads in Metro Manila though  it supports the smoking ban in areas like schools, hospitals and public facilities.

Data from the Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization show that smoking kills 10 Filipinos every hour!