President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has bigger things to worry about than starting to kick-off his habit of smoking, several lawmakers at the House of Representatives said.

Shrugging off concern over the incoming President’s health, Quezon City Rep. Arthur Defensor said that the public should watch how Aquino will focus to address pressing economic issues instead.

"They should not make a big fuss over the President-elect's smoking habit when the country and its people are facing more serious economic problems, corruption, unemployment, rising process of basic commodities, housing, climate change and others," Defensor said.

Defensor said the Filipino people are expecting the next administration to address the basic problems on food, housing and employment.

"Critics should concern themselves on how to address the pressing problems of the Filipinos and not deal on petty issues like smoking," Defensor added, referring to the country’s basic problem of food security, housing, and employment.

Meanwhile, Negros Oriental and Laguna Reps. George Arnaiz and Danilo Fernandez agreed that Filipinos should not strip Aquino the freedom to choose quitting smoking or not.

Arnaiz and Fernandez said they do not mind having a “smoking president” for as long as he will fulfill the promises he made during the election campaign.

Meanwhile, some 200 stakeholders from various sectors in Negros Occidental have called on the incoming Aquino administration to pursue a more participative and transparent peace process to achieve a lasting peace in the country.

They made the call during the daylong “Peace Forum for Sustained Partnership” conducted by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) held at the Sugarland Hotel here on Wednesday.

Among their recommendations were to strengthen the participation of local government units, Indigenous Peoples and civil society groups in the implementation of the National Peace Plan.

They also suggested the synchronization of peace and development programs, including a massive campaign, information dissemination on the peace process, more consultations, and study the adoption of a federal form of government.

The participants also pushed for more transparency and inclusiveness in the peace negotiations, saying that talks should not be limited to leaders.

“Continuity of peace programs, regardless of personalities in the government, was likewise suggested by the stakeholders,” the OPAPP said in a statement.

They also cited the importance of the integration of peace education in the curriculum of all schools which is being implemented.

The forum was a follow-up to the recently-concluded “reflective dialogues” conducted by the government to get the sentiments and insights of the cross section of society people on the peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).