The Smoke-free Advisory Council of Dumaguete City met recently for the validation of organizers of the Red Orchid Award by the Department of Health to be held May 22.

Invited was Mayor Benthan dela Cruz of Amlan, the first town in Negros Oriental to implement the program, to talk on how to obtain the award.

The city will continue to tear down cigaret advertisements and posters around Dumaguete, and replace them with streamers and signage about the smoke-free ordinance, and related materials.

The Red Orchid Awards is the search for 100 percent tobacco-free provinces, towns, cities, government offices, hospitals, and DOH Centers for Health Development. It follows the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, that adopts measures to provide protection from exposure to smoke in indoor workplaces, public transport, indoor places, and other public places, and Republic Act 9211, or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, that provides protection from exposure to tobacco smoke.

The DOH issued Administrative Order No. 10 in 2009, or the comprehensive 100 percent smoke-free environment policy, that calls for absolute smoking ban in DOH offices, hospitals and attached agencies, and encouraging local government units to do the same in their health facilities and other public places.*RG

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