THANKS to its strong efforts to maintain a smoke-free environment, Iloilo City has bagged the “gold” award in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Smoke-Free Awards (ASA).
In a statement, the Department of Health (DOH) said Iloilo City has won the top award from the South-east Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) over four other nominees.
“This recognition underscores Iloilo City’s exemplary smoke-free and vape-free policies, which have been acclaimed for their effectiveness and significant impact on public health,” said Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa.
“This achievement is a testament to the city’s unwavering dedication to promoting public health through innovative and effective tobacco control measures,” he added.
Iloilo City topped the list that also included Bogor City in Indonesia; Saensuk Municipality in Thailand; Bagan in Myanmar; and Luang Prabang in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR).
The DOH noted that Iloilo City stood out for its comprehensive approach to tobacco control marked by the establishment of a functional smoke-free task force, close collaboration with governmental and non-governmental organizations, and the provision of smoking cessation services.
Such efforts, it added, are strongly supported by local officials of Iloilo City, its legislative bodies, the City Health Office (CHO), and the Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Task Force (ICAST).
The health department said Iloilo City also provides technical input and training to its barangays through initiatives like the Smoke-Free Enforcers training and the Kids Smoke-free Storytelling (KISS) program.
The DOH also said the city’s policies are self-sustaining through penalties collected from violators and continuous support from community partners such as the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Iloilo City has also partnered with the DOH for the provision of technical assistance in the implementa-tion of the Smoke and Vape-Free Communities in the New Normal Playbook.
