Maasin City, Naval (Biliran) win DOH awards

CEBU, Philippines - Maasin City in Southern Leyte, and the towns of Calauag in Quezon and Talisayan in Misamis Oriental were among this year’s Red Orchid Hall of Famers for being consistent winners over the past three years in implementing a 100 percent tobacco-free environment.

Another winner for this year was Naval town in Biliran, which together with the three hall-of-famers received their Red Orchid Awards from the Department of Health in a ceremony held at the PTTC in Manila last May 29.

During the awards ceremony, the World Health Organization also conferred the World No Tobacco Day 2012 Award to Chairman Francis Tolentino of the Metro Manila Development Authority for his efforts and advocacy works for a “100 percent smoke-free Metro Manila.”

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said the Red Orchid Awards is the first of its kind in the world that gives recognition to cities, towns, government offices and facilities that are strictly enforcing tobacco control measures.

Local government officials and tobacco control advocates have been urged to work together in convincing and compelling legislators to put more premium on health when they cast their vote on a bill for reformed excise taxes on cigarette and alcohol products, he said.

DOH Assistant Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial, chairperson of the awards, noted the increasing number of LGUs and government institutions joining the DOH Red Orchid Awards and wanting to be tobacco-free. 

In 2010, there were eight Red Orchid Awards winners out of 46 nominees; last year, there were 30 winners out of 89 nominees; and this year, 113 nominees vied for the distinction, Ubial said.

“We must have been doing right for the majority of the population who are non-smokers that is why we are seeing a multiplier effect in the number of LGUs working hard to be tobacco-free,” she added.

Smoking prevalence in the country is among the highest in the world, while cigarette prices here are among the lowest in the world.    - THE FREEMAN