ILOILO CITY: This city will be conferred the first ASEAN Smoke-free Award (ASA) during the opening session of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations health ministers meeting on Aug. 8 in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR).
Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Task Force (ICAST) Executive Director Iñigo Garingalao said the city is the only recipient of the gold award and also the only local government unit in the Philippines that will be conferred the highest recognition by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), a multi-sectoral alliance based in Thailand, helping ASEAN countries develop and put in place their tobacco control policies.
‘This is a prestigious award given to local government units that are compliant in terms of sustaining, enforcing, advocacy on tobacco control, stand on tobacco promotions and sponsorships, and protection of the youth amid the challenges it is facing,’ he said in an interview on Wednesday.
The award came after the organizer validated the city’s tobacco c
ontrol efforts since April of this year.
Other nominees came from Indonesia, Thailand, Lao PDR, and Myanmar.
Garingalao, who will receive the award on behalf of Mayor Jerry Treñas, will join a town hall discussion where he will share the city’s initiatives on tobacco control.
‘As a way forward, SEATCA will make Iloilo City a top model for other cities, which it entices to become smoke-free,’ he added.
The city’s advocacy started with enacting the Anti-Smoking Ordinance in 2006.
Garingalao was the first executive director of the ICAST, which packaged the anti-smoking campaign in the city.
‘We became an influencer; I came up with a two-day training module that is being used by nongovernment organizations that are interested in adopting the campaign,’ he added.
Iloilo City, a Red Orchid Awardee, was the venue for the launching of the Global Alliance for Smoke-free Tourism of SEATCA held this year.
Source: Philippines News Agency