The Iloilo City government shared its anti-smoking efforts before government executives and advocates of smoke-free environment after presenting in Thailand.The audience in Krabi, Thailand were participants in a workshop on Smoke-Free Cities and Summit of Leaders and Champions in ASEAN Region.
Inigo Garingalao, executive director, Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Task Force said the workshop tackled issues on enforcement, smoke-free places, and advancing smoke-free initiatives, where Iloilo City highlighted its smoke-free events and festivities.
Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said he initiated the city’s anti-smoking challenge to actively involve the youth towards a tobacco-free generation through an intensified information and education campaign.
“This also includes banning selling of cigarettes near schools and internet shops.” Mabilog said.
Meanwhile, Garingalao said these are best practices which should be disseminated, citing the strong participation of village chiefs, constant refresher course and training of enforcement personnel, fora in schools and barangays, the involvement of the city health office in business inspections, and the promotion of cigarette cessation clinics.
It was noted that the city’s anti-smoking campaign came into the spotlight in time for the nationwide smoking ban pushed by the Duterte administration.
Some 250 leaders and focal persons as well as health ministers of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, participated in the workshop.
The event, primarily organized by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance carried the theme “Sustaining the Campaign for Smoke-Free Cities in the Asean”.
by: Elsa S. Subong
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