No Coke, No Smoking, No Dogs allowed inside the U.P. campus…Roman doesn’t seem to run out of ordinances to implement. What’s next?

No sex in dark places?! Haha…Try stopping that, you prude!

First, I discovered my dogs are no longer allowed to walk around the Sunken Garden. I had made numerous attempts to disregard the notice and on every single occasion, I get halted by men wearing stupid orange vests. They are scattered on almost every corner in U. P. And I get the feeling they’re some sort of ”wardens” hired by U.P. to watch over the activities of its students.

I have studied in U.P. before, and it’s such a shame what is happening to it now…higher tuition…the new restrictions…the alarming increase in the number of Ford Expeditions and Beemers parked in front of the A.S. steps…and not to mention the erection of new waiting sheds and street signs! Which I might add, are utterly useless and downright wasteful! I thought you lacked funds???

Next, I heard vendors are no longer allowed to sell Coke…yes the soft drink brand. I don’t know if U.P. was bought off by Pepsi or what. But what I do know is that — Coke is now officially a contraband.

And THEN there’s the “U.P. goes Smoke-free” mania!

What terrible sins did the students make to deserve such a cruel punishment? At least provide some SPACE where we can smoke! Compromise, anyone?

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University of the Philippines System (UP System) goes Smoke Free!

That’s protection from Second Hand Smoke to over 51,500 students, 4,000 faculty and 7900 administrative personnel (and countless guests and visitors) in at least 7 constituent universities located in 12 campuses across the country. This protection also extends to the Philippine General Hospital, the largest public hospital in the Philippines, which has adopted its own smoke-free policies a few years ago. According to Professor Marvic Leonen, Vice President for Legal Affairs of the UP System, the Administrative Order (AO) for Smoke Free UP was passed 2 days ago following unanimous vote. Students caught in violation of this order will be subjected to disciplinary action. Chancellors are given very stern instructions to implement the said AO. As you may know, our laws require smoking ban in schools, however, because of the usual enforcement issues, this is not implemented in many universities. This policy is particularly difficult to implement in UP because of the sheer size of its land area and the fact that private residences and local communities are housed inside the big campuses. But with this AO, we have renewed hope that a smoke free UP is possible. Congratulations to UP and thank you, Professor Marvic Leonen, for giving us a Smoke Free UP! Let’s support UP’s smoke free initiatives in any way we can. The successes in UP provides the groundwork for a nationwide smoke free campaign!

Professor Marvic Leonen was reported to have received 55,970 hate texts and emails, hours after the implementation of the said policy. Today, rumor has it that he spends most of his time inside his office deleting the messages from his inboxes while smoking cigarettes nonstop.