THE AWARENESS OF NORTHVILLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO THE

REPUBLIC ACT 9211

CHAPTER 1

I. BRIEFBACKGROUND

“Health is wealth!” One of the most famous quotes about

health. This reminds the people to give much care and attention to their

health. To live with a healthy life is the goal of many people who wanted

to become physically fit and far away from any illnesses. But the society

faces its dangerous enemy which destroys individual`s health, the use of

tobacco. It is very rampant in the Philippines wherein smoking is a

lifestyle of many people. For them removing the use of tobacco on their

everyday life is very difficult thing because it is their habit and it is very

hard to stop. According to the Tobacco Fact File Organization (2012)

Research has shown that seven to eight years of life expectancy is reduced

because of smoking. On average, each cigarette shortens your life

anywhere from seven to eleven minutes. In other words, the time it takes

you to smoke a cigarette equals the time that cigarette takes off of your

life. That’s why the Philippine Government and the Department of Health

are working together to fight this biggest problem of the society.

The Republic Act 9211 or also known as Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003

was approved by the executive branch on June 23, 2003 for a purpose of

controlling and regulating the packaging, use, sale distribution and

advertisements of tobacco products for other purposes. Under the section 2

from hazardous products and promoting the right to health and instilling

health consciousness among them. The state must be consistent with the

constitutional ideal in promoting the general welfare, safeguarding the

interest of the workers and other stakeholders in the tobacco industry. For

these purposes, a balance policy must be institute by the government

whereby the use, sale, and advertisements of tobacco products shall be

regulated in order a healthful environment will be promoted and make the

citizens protected from the hazards of the tobacco smoke, and at the same

time, the interest of tobacco farmers, growers, workers, and stakeholders

are ensured and not adversely compromised.

This republic act has been implemented for the past 16 years and in the

initial observation of the researchers many students particularly at

Northville High School are still unaware with this republic act. Hence, this

research was proposed

II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The purpose of the study is to know the awareness of Northville High

School about the Republic Act 9211. It specifically answers the following

questions:

a) What is Republic Act 9211?

b) What is the perception of the participants about R.A. 9211?

c) How does the perception of the participants affect their life?

The target participants of the researchers are:

 The students who smoke at Northville High School particularly in

Grade 11-12.

IV. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study is beneficial to:

a) Students- Because through the findings of this study, students from

Northville High School will become more aware about the importance

of the R.A. 9211 and it will help them to increase their knowledge

about it.

b) Teachers- It will help them in addressing and raising awareness to the

students of Northville High School about the essence of Republic Act

9211.

c) Parents- Through the study, parents will be able to have their guide on

how they were going to help their children not to engage with smoking

d) Researchers- It will help the researchers to have a concrete

understanding about R.A. 9211 and its implication to the life of the

students, teachers, and even the parents.

Tobacco- (Merriam Webster Dictionary, 1828) any of a genus (Nicotiana) of

chiefly American plants of the nightshade family with viscid foliage and tubular

flowers especially: a tall erect annual tropical American herb (N. tabacum)

cultivated for its leaves

-The leaves of cultivated tobacco prepared for use in smoking or chewing or as

snuff

-Manufactured products of tobacco (such as cigars or cigarettes) also: smoking as a

practice has sworn off tobacco

Nicotine- (Merriam Webster Dictionary, 1828) a poisonous alkaloid C10H14N2 that

is the chief active principle of tobacco and is used as an insecticide

REPUBLIC ACT- (Lawphil, 2018) 8504, Otherwise Known as the "Philippine Aids

Prevention and Control Act of 1998", and Appropriating Funds Therefor. Republic

Act No. 11165. December 20, 2018. An Act Institutionalizing Telecommuting as an

Alternative Work Arrangement for Employees in the Private Sector.

SMOKING- (Merriam Webster Dictionary, 1828) to inhale and exhale the fumes

of burning plant material and especially tobacco especially: to smoke tobacco

habitually

AWARENESS- (Merriam Webster Dictionary, 1828) the quality or state of

being aware : knowledge and understanding that something is happening or exists

promoting
-A heightened awareness of the problem seemed to have only a slight awareness of

what was going on an acute awareness of subtle differences

REGULATION- (Merriam Webster Dictionary, 1828) The act of regulating : the

state of being regulated .

VI. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Topics that are related to the Students` awareness in Republic Act 9211

will be presented by the researchers. Other researchers` findings are also

included and discussed to provide a necessary background of this study.

Foreign literature studies from different authors that are relevant to the

researchers` study are also presented.

Students Awareness to R.A. 9211

We all know that smoking is not good for our health but still, many people

are engaging with smoking without knowing its dangerous effect. Tobacco

contains nicotine, a highly addictive drug that makes it difficult for the

smokers to kick the habit. Tobacco products also contain many poisonous

and harmful substances that cause disease and premature death (Harry

2005).

According to the previous study entitled Awareness of the implementation

of Anti-Smoking ordinance No. 1s. 2012, smoking may cause stroke, heart

attack, diseases and it is a slow way to die because it rots the lungs little by
little. It is also stated that three (3) out of four (4) causes of deaths in the

heart disease is because of smoking.

Contrarily, smokers always say that smoking helps them to become more

alert, calm and it adds concentration. Other researchers assert that the

alleviation of nicotine withdrawal syndrome is simply a result of tobacco’s

calming effects (New book of knowledge, 2006).

Rillorta 2011 stated that “In 2003, the Philippines enacted a smoke free

law that restricts smoking in enclosed public places and work places.

Smoking areas are permitted in most public places other than health care

and educational facilities. In July 2011, Manila implemented a smoke free

ordinance for schools, gyms, parks, hospitals, elevators and stairwells, of

all buildings, buses and bus depots, restaurants, and government facilities.

The city of Las Piñas adopted a smoke free ordinance that covers

government workplaces and many public places. The local ordinance is

stronger than the national law, but still exempts many private workplaces

and all hospitality establishments.” This study shows how R.A. 9211 is

being address to many people as an awareness to smoking. In Batangas

City, the government implemented Ordinance No. 1s. 2012. It was stated

that “The City Government has to protect our environment and protect our

children, our youth, our women, the unborn and our constituents from the

pernicious effects of tobacco, cigarettes or their derivatives which has been

proven to produce cancer.”