Davao City's 3rd Red Orchid Award

Davao City's 3rd Red Orchid Award

The award, annually bestowed by the Department of the Health to Local Government Units, Centers for Health Development, Government Hospitals and Government Offices for advocating 100% Tobacco-free environments, placed Davao City in its Hall of Fame.

Davao City added another feather to its cap, so to speak, after it bagged its third Red Orchid Award last Wednesday in Manila.

The award, annually bestowed by the Department of the Health to Local Government Units, Centers for Health Development, Government Hospitals and Government Offices for advocating 100% Tobacco-free environments, placed Davao City in its Hall of Fame. Other third time awardees were Maasin City in Eastern Visayas and Legaspi City in Bicol.

Mayor Sara Duterte received the award together with members of the Davao City Anti-Smoking Task Force, lead by Dr. Domilyn Villarreiz.

Aside from trophies and certificates, the Hall of Fame awardees received a P500,000 project grant to sustain their tobacco control activities.

Davao City has been in the forefront of the smoke-free campaign since it enacted its Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance in 2002, which was considered as the first exhaustive anti-smoking law in the country, well ahead of the 2003 Tobacco Regulation Act.

This eventually lead to the creation of the Davao City Anti-Smoking Task Force, responsible for monitoring compliance and strict implementation of the local anti-smoking ordinance, conduct advocacy campaigns and support the Davao City Police Office in filing charges for violation.

“I would like to congratulate the city’s anti-smoking task force for their successful implementation of the 2002 Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance. This has inspired other cities to follow suit and has brought us citations from national and international organizations, including the Red Orchid Award which was conferred to the city by the Department of Health for the past three years as a 100% Tobacco-Free Government Unit,” Mayor Sara Duterte said.

“We are humbled and grateful in sharing our success and challenges to the world as we reaffirm our full commitment in promoting healthier and longer lives by keeping Davao City smoke-free after being accorded with our third Red Orchid Award,” the mayor added.

The winners of this years Red Orchid Award were chosen on the strength of their comprehensive efforts to implement a 100% Tobacco-Free Environment following the World Health Organization’s “MPOWER” initiative. Several validation teams were formed and visited the nominees between March and April. The members of the teams came from the DOH, Civil Service Commission, Philippine Ambulatory Pediatric Association, Inc. and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines. (city information office)