By Roel Amazona/Philippine News Agency
TACLOBAN CITY — A non-government organization has asked newly-elected officials in local government units (LGUs) to be more committed in achieving tobacco-free communities.
Katarungan Leyte spokesperson Lolita Candaza said the local government should pay attention to the program meant for those who want to quit smoking and enact an ordinance banning the trade and use of cigarettes in their locality.
“Our fear is smoking addiction will continue to affect our children. As a farmer and as a parent, I am at a point when I could not afford to get sick, much less if it’s a health problem that comes from smoking,” Candaza told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Thursday.
Katarungan is one of the organizers of the Make Noise Tobacco-Free Eastern Visayas forum held at the Leyte National High School (LNHS) on Thursday.
The event is in partnership with the Rights, Inc., Department of Health (DOH), and Civil Service Commission.
The group is affiliated with Rights, a network of grassroots-based organizations, strategically located in major agrarian reform communities in the country.
Joining the forum are representatives of the local government units of Tacloban, Barugo, and Carigara in Leyte; Philippine National Police; LNHS Supreme Student Council officials; Boy Scouts of the Philippines; and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) officials in Leyte province.
To encourage LGUs in advocating for a tobacco-free environment, the DOH created the Red Orchid Award in 2009 based on DOH Administrative Order No. 2009-0010: Rules and Regulations Promoting a 100 percent smoke-free environment, said Charisse Daya, DOH 8 (Eastern Visayas) tobacco control program coordinator.
Since the launch of the Red Orchid Award, several local governments in the region have been awarded as Hall of Famer. These are Maasin City, San Juan, Libagon, Pintuyan, Hinunangan, and Anahawan in Southern Leyte; and Naval in Biliran.
Also in the list of Hall of Fame awardees are the towns of Padre Burgos, Limasawa, San Francisco, and Silago in Southern Leyte; Ormoc City, Leyte; San Antonio, Northern Samar; and Arteche, Eastern Samar.
“The DOH target now is to push local governments to implement the tobacco control program by enacting and enforcing an anti-smoking ordinance in their respective localities, which is very important in our fight on tobacco epidemic,” Daya said.
She urged those who want to quit smoking to visit the nearest rural health unit and avail of the cessation program.
Republic Act 9211, also known as the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, is an omnibus law regulating smoking in public places and selling, tobacco advertisement, promotion, and sponsorship.
The law also prohibits the sale of tobacco products within 100 meters of schools, playgrounds, and other facilities frequented by minors and smoking in government offices.
It also prohibits local governments from receiving favors, such as sponsorships, from tobacco companies.
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