Background and challenges to implementation:
The sale of cigarettes within 100 meters of schools, playgrounds and facilities frequented by minors is prohibited as stated in Section 10 of the Philippines' Tobacco Regulation Act.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, supported by a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies through The Union, monitors cigarette sale around schools in 17 cities of Metropolitan Manila. Results are forwarded to the mayors for information and appropriate action. The mayors issue license / business permits for operation of these stores. Violation on access restriction policy can result in revocation of permits and closure of business.

Intervention or response:
To determine the effect of monitoring visits, when store owners are informed of access restriction policy around schools, MMDA environmental enforcers randomly re - inspected 102 out of 1021 stores previously visited from June to August, 2016. Following were noted: display of tobacco products, presence of advertisement and posting of warning signs against smoking.

Results and lessons learnt:
Results show 33% of 102 re - inspected stores continued to display cigarettes in full view of minors, 26% persisted to maintain advertising as store signage and only 20% of the stores retained warning signs posted by enforcers. Store owners, although provided with information on tobacco regulation particularly on the prohibition of cigarette sale around 100 meters of schools did not find it necessary to comply with the law. Local government units are not enforcing tobacco regulation so stores continue with their business despite the violation.

Conclusions and key recommendations:
Despite providing information on access restriction policy, violations exist because there is no community enforcement. MMDA began advocating for passage of WHO - FCTC compliant ordinances at local level to ensure implementation of tobacco control regulation. Four out of 17 cities have passed comprehensive tobacco control ordinances. Implementation of the tobacco access restriction policy by community enforcers will improve efforts to protect minors from being initiated into smoking.