EFFECTS OF STRICTER IMPLEMENTATION OF NO-SMOKING POLICY WITHIN THE VICINITY OF BESTLINK COLLEGE OF THE PHILIPPINES, MILLIONAIRES VILLAGE CAMPUS

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of stricter implementation of the No-Smoking policy within the vicinity of Bestlink College of the Philippines, Millionaires Village campus, regarding the people who continued to smoke near or within the school premises, which had the potential to affect and influence their peers. This research will utilize a quantitative descriptive research design to assess the effects of stricter implementation of a no-smoking policy. Through Slovin’s formula, the sample size of the population will be identified, and a random sampling technique will be used to determine the respondents for the study. The respondents of the study were composed of three groups, which consisted of 300 students, 51 teachers, and 7 staff members of Bestlink College of the Philippines, Millionaires Village campus. The results of the study revealed that the majority of respondents "strongly agreed" that authorities (school facilitators) were prohibiting smoking within school premises, posting possible sanctions for those caught violating the no-smoking school policy, and that the signs indicating no-smoking zones around the school area were strictly implemented. The problems encountered by our respondents were: smoking within the surroundings of the school affects the environment (bad effect for human beings but good for the environment), the guard does not check the students' bags properly due to the high volume of students, some students and employees do not participate in educational programs or campaigns related to the harmful effects of smoking, bringing cigarettes or vapes inside the school, and smoking inside the school is not visible to authorities. The researchers made the following recommendations for the problems encountered by students, teachers, and staff: Promote an eco-friendly environment as a resting place for students during their vacancy; encourage students and employees to participate in educational programs or campaigns related to the harmful effects of smoking conducted within the school; the guard should carefully check the bags of students before entering; hire additional security personnel to cater to the checking of bags of high-volume students entering the school; and ensure close monitoring of CCTV cameras to make sure that no one smokes within the school.