by Franklin P. Gumapon
DIPOLOG CITY, June
1 (PIA) - - The city government’s efforts toward making this city smoke-free
has paid off.
The city has bested
other local government units in the 2012 Red Orchid Awards-Local Government
Unit category.
DOH Assistant
Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial, who served as chairperson of the Red Orchid
Awards, personally handed the award on Tuesday to Mayor Evelyn T. Uy during the
awarding ceremonies held at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City.
A press release
from the City Information Office (CIO) said the city was able to obtain a
rating within the 90-100 percent bracket in regard to the implementation of a
100 percent tobacco-free environment in support of the anti-tobacco campaign
pursued by the World Health organization (WHO), DOH, Civil Service Commission
(CSC), Philippine Ambulatory Pediatric Association, Inc. (PAPA) and Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP).
It can be recalled
that the city government is strongly implementing City ordinance No. 196,
otherwise known as anti-smoking ordinance, which prohibits smoking in public
places, government offices, hospitals, bus terminals and other places where a
number of people converge.
The city has
received a trophy and P100 thousand worth of nicotine replacement therapy that
will be used for smoking cessation services.
The city’s
anti-smoking campaign also earned her the Pink Orchid award last year.
WHO used the Red
Orchid in its 2001 “World No Tobacco Day” advocacy as a symbol of a
tobacco-free world and to remind people that the campaign against smoking would
continue. (FPG/PIA-Zamboanga del Norte)