Several mayors of Negros Oriental will attend a three-day workshop in Malacca, Malaysia, on local implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control on October 26 to 28.

Participants will interact on good practices on tobacco control, and recommend actions to strengthen implementation of existing laws.

In its communication to 20 mayors in Negros Oriental, WHO representative Dr. Soe Nyunt-U acknowledged the efforts of several local chief executives in the province to become smoke-free local government units with more LGUs replicating the endeavor.

Amlan Mayor Bentham dela Cruz, who was among the first to ban smoking in public places in his municipality, said most of the mayors have signified their intention to join the international confab.

Malacca is the first state to go smoke-free, having passed a statewide legislation to ban indoor smoking.

Soe said one of the key challenges to national legislation that is compliant with the WHO FCTC is interference of the tobacco industry in public policy processes and enforcement.

Malaysia and the Philippines are examples of countries that have made greater progress through implementation of local strategies, she said.

Meanwhile, Undersecretary Manolo Quezon III, of the communications group in Malacañang, said President Benigno Aquino III is supporting policies of the Department of Health and does not encourage anyone to smoke.

Quezon issued the statement while in Dumaguete City. He said he supports the smoking ban in public places and the  proposals to increase sin taxes and similar proposals.

Aquino no longer smokes in public, but sometimes he smokes to remove stress, Quezon said.*JG

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