City intensifies enforcement of prohibiting moma-chewing in public places

The Baguio City Council adopted Resolution No. 124, series of 2023, intensifying compliance to Ordinance No. 35, series of 2020 which bans chewing and spitting of moma in public places and directing the mobilization of Task Force Moma.

Unanimously adopted by the Council, the resolution aims to strengthen the existing ordinance to prohibit the chewing of moma in public places as not only is it very unsanitary, unhealthy, and unethical, there is also the risk of spit being a spreader of COVID-19, its numerous variants, and other communicable diseases as well. 

Public places are defined as all places that are accessible and open to the public for collective use such as schools, workplaces, government facilities, and establishments providing food, accommodation, merchandise, professional services, etc.

Section 12 of the ordinance established the Task Force Moma as implementor Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong as the Chairperson; the Chairperson of the Committee on Health and Sanitation, Ecology and Environmental Protection as Co-Chairperson; the City Health Officer as his/her representative as Action Officer; and 13 members that include the City Director of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) and the Public Order and Safety Division, among others.

The Task Force is in charge of issuing citations, notices, and appointing enforcers to capture and punish ordinance violators. The Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) and the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) – City Mayors’ Office is given authority to apprehend offenders. The City Treasury Office is also tasked to issue booklets of citation tickets to enforcers, and the Public Information Officer shall aid in printing and disseminating information on the ordinance. 

Violators of the ordinance will be fined P500 or will render four hours of community service for the first offense; P1, 000 or six hours for the second offense; and P2, 000 or eight hours of community service for the third and subsequent offenses. – Clyde Davies Berry