Just recently, the Iloilo City Government shared via Facebook that the City of Love has been a recipient of the 2019 World No Tobacco Day Award. Moreover, in an article by the Philippine News Agency, the World Health Organization has lauded Iloilo City for its accomplishments on tobacco control.
“There are only five countries (in WHO Western Pacific) that were given the award. And Iloilo City is the only awardee from the Philippines. We were just informed but we still don’t know if when is the awarding,” states Dr. Bernard Caspe, Chief of the Iloilo City Health Office (CHO), in an article by the Philippine News Agency.
Among the initiatives spearheaded by the City Government includes the establishment of the smoking cessation clinic wherein a total of 4,443 patients were counseled in 2018. Read more: Iloilo City gets WHO award for tobacco control initiatives.
The Iloilo City Government also shared that the local government would host the first-quarter national meeting of the Smoke-Free Cities of Asian Pacific Network (SCAN) Philippine Chapter of the Southeast Asian Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) slated February 7 at the Iloilo City Hall.
The local government will act as a Public Information Officer (PIO) of Smoke-Free Cities of Asian Pacific Network (SCAN) Philippines. Moreover, according to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, the event is an opportunity for the city to highlight its smoke-free tourism assets.
Also, according to Iñigo Garingalao, Director of the Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Task Force, delegates will tour the Iloilo City Hall, then West Visayas State University – Lapaz, then to Central Philippine University. Guests will also tour have a stopover at Jaro Cathedral, then to Iloilo Business Park, and Molo Mansion.
“The participants are also tourists who will explore and taste the culinary delights and scenes of the city, aside from being critical tobacco control enforcers. We will share the city’s anti-smoking implementations through policies, ordinances, initiatives and best practices,” states Iñigo Garingalao, Director of the Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Task Force, in a Facebook post by the Iloilo City Government.
