MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) has urged the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) to ban cigarette-smoking scenes in television and in films.
Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag on Saturday announced calls to prohibit showing images of actors smoking in TV and film.
Citing health hazards caused by smoking, Tayag said the move will help in preventing Filipino audiences, especially the youth, from being encouraged to smoke, and from emulating the same act as they see it being done by popular celebrities.
Tayag also said he hopes the MTRCB will release a memorandum addressing the issue, such that portrayals of cigarette or tobacco-smoking will be regulated in television and in films.
In June 2011, a similar ruling was considered for enforcement on a relatively smaller scale by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino called on movie producers participating in the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) to exclude scenes that shows actors smoking cigarettes.
At the time, MTRCB Chairperson Grace Poe Llamanzares also revealed that the DOH had already consulted the agency regarding the guidelines in the possible implementation of a no-smoking directive in TV programs and films. -- With a report from Ricky Velasco, dzMM