DOH asks LGUs anew to enforce smoking ban

PALO, Leyte, Dec. 11 – The Department of Health (DOH) is calling on local government units (LGUs) to aim for the Red Orchid Award given to implementers of a 100-percent smoke-free environment.

DOH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Minerva Molon, in an interview Monday, said that attaining a smoke-free environment is one of the remarkable achievements of LGUs as this will save the public from potential health hazards.

“I wish this award will inspire our local officials to continue working for better communities and healthier community members. Our health indicators in Eastern Visayas are still way below than the national target as there are still unmet health targets,” she said.

Molon urged local government units to pass strict ordinances in support of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order 26 issued in May 2017, which banned smoking in public places.

“The order also covers existing bans on the sale, distribution and purchase of tobacco products to and from minors, or persons below 18 years old, as well as the restrictions on cigarette advertisements and promotions under the Tobacco Regulation Act,” Molon said.

The ban replicates on a national level an existing ordinance in Davao City that Duterte created as mayor in 2002.

On Dec. 7, the DOH conferred the Red Orchid Award to 22 government offices, state-run hospitals, and LGUs. Only 7 out of 143 cities and towns in the region received the recognition.

These were the towns of Silago, Limasawa, San Francisco, and Padre Burgos in Southern Leyte; San Antonio in Northern Samar; Arteche in Eastern Samar; and Ormoc City.

For government offices category, awardees were the PhilHealth field offices in the cities of Tacloban, Ormoc, Maasin, Borongan, Calbayog and Catbalogan and in the towns of Naval, Biliran; the regional office of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology; jails in Naval; Catarman, Northern Samar; Burauen, Leyte; San Juan, Southern Leyte; Carigara, Leyte; Baybay City; Borongan City; Ormoc City; and the municipal jails in Palo and Palompon.

For government hospitals, the achievers were Allen District Hospital, Northern Samar Provincial Hospital, and the Tacloban City Hospital.

Red Orchid is the highest award conferred to those who responded positively, installed necessary policies, and implemented direct action of achieving 100 percent smoke-free community.

The recognition looks into the monitoring of tobacco use and prevention; protection of people from the effects of tobacco smoke; offering help to quit tobacco use; warning about the dangers of tobacco; enforce ban on tobacco advertising and promotions; and smoking ban enforcement. (LAAA/PNA)