ILOILO City – “Happy and healthy.” This was how Mayor Jerry Treñas described his lifestyle 11 years after quitting smoking.
Treñas, 64, had been smoking for more than 30 years since his college days, though he started “magtilaw-tilaw” when he was in high school. He decided to quit in 2010.
The celebration of World No Tobacco Day on May 31 ushered in the observance of June as National No-Smoking Month in the Philippines. Pursuant to Proclamation No. 183, the observance aims to raise public awareness on the ill effects of smoking as well as to encourage smokers to give up the habit.
“All my doctors were telling me to stop but it took my own personal decision to ultimately stop ‘cold turkey’ after the congressional elections of 2010,” Treñas told Panay News.
The city mayor described his smoking habit as “already an addiction.”
“I had to smoke all the time. I lost count how many packs I was smoking a day… It was too much,” he recalled.
According to Treñas, the transition period was hard for him but he was able to overcome it.
“Budlay gid but gin-untat ko gid. Sang mayor ko, kapila ako mag-try asta mga nicotine gums kag nicotine patches, gin budlayan gid ‘ko. But I am happy 11 years na ‘ko nag-stop,” he further shared.
Nicotine gum, as defined by medlineplus.gov, is in a class of medications called smoking cessation aids. It works by providing nicotine to your body to decrease the withdrawal symptoms experienced when smoking is stopped and as a substitute oral activity to reduce the urge to smoke.
A nicotine patch, on the other hand, is a transdermal patch that releases nicotine into the body through the skin. It is used in nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), a process for smoking cessation.
“It does you no good,” Treñas advised smokers.
Last year, at the height of the pandemic, the World Health Organization declared that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preyed on the lungs, thus, making smokers more vulnerable.
Smokers are more likely to have a severe case of COVID-19.
“Smoking impairs the lung function making it hard for the body to fight the virus and other respiratory diseases. Mangin responsable kita sa aton ginawi para sa kaayuhan sang aton lawas. Batò, Iloilo!” he stressed.
Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. also shared his own smoking journey this National No-Smoking Month.
“Dugay na ako nag-untat (smoking),” Defensor told Panay News. “Sang una nagapanigarilyo man ako, especially when I was practicing (law). Grabe man ang stress ko.”
However, he said upon knowing the effects of smoking “I suddenly stopped.”
“Waay na gid ako nakabalik because it is not good for me. Indi gid malikawan nga nagamasakit ikaw, kabalo naman kita kon ano epekto ‘ya sina,” Defensor shared.
He also highlighted how much the government is spending on the healthcare system.
“I don’t know the figures now pero bal-an ko na sang una sa Congress because kada gani naga-deliberate kami excise tax kag gagwa na ina ang figure sang smoking… kadaku sang ginagasto sang healthcare system sang Pilipinas because of smoking,” Defensor added.
He has thus encouraged smokers to stop.
“Mas maayo pa nga untatan na lang naton ina kay indi na maayo sa aton kalawasan, kag sa kalawasan sang aton nga palibot nga iban nga tawo,” he said.
SMOKERS TELL
Smokers also shared to Panay News why they could resist their tobacco cravings.
“Kon sa akon makakuha sang stress kay ti isahanon lang man ako, wala ako asawa ti amo dya ang nagalingaw sa akon,” said Richard Edison of Barangay Hibao-an, Mandurriao, a 30-year smoker.
He can finish one cigarette pack a day, and that costs around P110 to P140.
While he recognizes the possible threat to his health, Edison said quitting is a far possibility.
“Kalingawan kag bisyo ko na ina. Kon sa saway damo nagasaway eh,” added Edison.
He, however, discouraged the youth to follow his vice.
Ricardo Jabonillo Jr. of Pavia, Iloilo had the same reason for not quitting.
“Kung kis-a man lang ako nagapanigarilyo, lingaw-lingaw man ukon palipas oras ah. Sang college days ko nagsugod sa pagpanigarilyo kay pressure sa school,” said Jabonillo.
He smokes eight sticks per day, although he said he is trying to regulate his habit.
“Kung pwede nga likawan, likawan na lang nila,” Jabonillo advised youngsters.
‘NOT A GOOD WAY TO DE-STRESS’
Smoking is not the answer to getting away from stress, according to Army Major Cenon Pancito III, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 3rd infantry Division (3ID).
Pancito shared he started smoking when he was still in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) as his way to stay away from homesickness and stress.
His smoking habit became stronger when he was assigned in Mindanao. He confessed that he can consume two to three packs of “red cigarettes” a day.
“Ganyan ako kalakas manigarilyo especially kapag ako ay stressed at daming gawain sa assignment ko, parang cigarettes is my comfort. Just like smoke was part of my life before,” Pancito told Panay News.
When did he decide to stop?
“I quit smoking when something bad happened to me sometime in 2011,” he said. “I was hospitalized. I had shortness of breathing. Nagkasakit ako sa baga. My doctor advised me to quit smoking.”
But Pancito said he quitted not because of that advice “but because I met my wife kasi bawal ang smoking sa bahay.”
“I tried my very best to stop smoking and since then nag-quit na ako,” he added.
For the young ones, Pancito said, smoking can never be the way to de-stress; there are other ways.
“I’m healthier than before. I learned to hate cigarettes since 2011,” Pancito shared./PN
