The Anti Smoking Campaign of the MMDA

The smoking ban in public places is now on its fifth day. This campaign will be good for the health of the people and for the

reduction of air pollution. According to Star columnist Federico Pascual, Jr., it is “a tool for gradually disciplining in many aspects the unruly inhabitants of the national capital jungle”.

 

Those are very strong words – “unruly inhabitants” and “national capital jungle”. In a way, to be honest with ourselves, we must agree with him. Most people do not obey the laws because they can get away with it. The problem is enforcement. Is it not true that when Filipinos are in other countries, they obey the laws of that country? But why is it that in their own country, they don’t obey laws? Well, the answer is simple. There is no enforcement. The law is there, but no one would apprehend the violators.

It makes me think that we need authoritarian rule. There is truth to the Marcosian slogan “Sa ikauunlad ng bayan, disiplina ang kailangan.” (For the nation to progress, we need discipline). We need a dictator – but not one like Marcos – we need one who is God-fearing, selfless and whose focus is to serve the country without any thought of enriching himself in office, and one who can get his people to obey.

I am sure many people are in favor of this smoking ban in public places, and are looking forward for the success of its implementation. If we succeed in this, we can move on to implement other campaigns whose objective are for the improvement of our country in terms of human discipline and economic progress. This is for our own good.