29 May 2012: The Department of Health today recognized local government units, government offices and hospitals implementing 100% tobacco-free environments through the DOH Red Orchid Awards held at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City today.
Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona said that the Red Orchid Awards is the first of its kind in the world in giving out recognition to cities, municipalities, government offices and health facilities that are strictly enforcing tobacco control measures.
He stressed that laws and policies to effect smokefree public places for the protection of the public from exposure to secondhand smoke is one of the four main strategies to reverse the tobacco epidemic. The other three are: ban on advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products; putting graphic health warnings on cigarette packs to encourage smokers to quit; and taxation to increase the price of tobacco products. All these and more are the standards and requirements the DOH and its partner agencies are looking for in declaring a 100% tobacco-free environment.
Sec. Ona also urged local government officials and tobacco control advocates to work together in convincing and compelling legislators to put more premium on health when they cast their vote to put in place a reformed excise taxes on cigarette and alcohol products. He said that after almost two decades of dedicated lobbying for sin tax reforms, this bill certified as urgent by the President has passed the first obstacle – the House of Representatives’ Committee of Ways and Means. This Committee has approved House Bill 5727 with amendments.
“This bill if passed into law, would shield the youth and the poor from the country’s leading causes of mortality, which are non-communicable diseases, and at the same time secure an estimated 33 billion pesos in additional revenues which would increase the resources of local governments and congressional districts, facilitate alternative livelihood projects for farmers, and fund the government’s universal health care program,” Ona said.
The DOH Red Orchid Awards is composed of members from the DOH, World Health Organization, Civil Service Commission, Philippine Ambulatory Pediatric Association, Inc. (PAPA) and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP).
Health Assistant Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial, chairperson of the DOH Red Orchid Awards, noted the increasing number of local government units (LGUs) and government institutions joining the DOH Red Orchid Awards and wanting to be tobacco-free. In 2010, there were 8 Red Orchid Awards winners out of 46 nominees and last year there were 30 winners out of 89 nominees. This year, 113 nominees strive for the distinction as Red Orchid awardees or having garnered a score within the range of 90 – 100 per cent. Moreover, 5 local government units (LGUs) are vying for the Hall of Fame or winning the Red Orchid Award for three consecutive years. These LGUs are: Calauag, Quezon, Davao City, Legazpi City, Maasin City and Talisayan, Misamis Oriental.
“We must have been doing right for the majority of the population who are non-smokers that is why we are seeing some sort of a multiplier effect in the number of LGUs working hard to be tobacco-free,” ASec. Ubial said.
Meanwhile, during the awards ceremony, the World Health Organization will also confer the World No Tobacco Day 2012 Award to Chairman Francis N. Tolentino of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for his considerable efforts and advocacy work towards a “100% Smokefree Metro Manila.” This is a campaign that Tolentino launched last year along with the 17 mayors of Metro Manila and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Tolentino’s political will to enforce the smoking ban in public places across the National Capital Region has also led him to advocate the passage of the Metropolitan Manila Mayors” Council Resolution 11-19 series 2011 entitled “Implementing RA 9211 also known as the Tobacco Act of 2003 and the Anti-Smoking Ordinances of the Local Government Units of Metro Manila.”
The commitment to enforce a smokefree policy in Metro Manila also includes places like public transport terminals. In fact, several teams of Environmental Enforcers deployed in selected loading bay/terminals have already apprehended a total of 28,656 to date.
Despite challenges from tobacco industry Interferences, Tolentino promised that there would be no let-up in the campaign “within the metes and bounds of the law.” In fact, he said that MMDA will intensify its anti-smoking campaign to raise public awareness on the pernicious effects of smoking.
Tobacco industry interference is common in the Philippines, a tobacco-growing nation. The success of the business of the tobacco industry depends on the continued patronage of its products by the public. The end goal of tobacco control policies, which is to lower consumption of tobacco products, is directly opposed to the business interests of the industry. Hence, it is expected that the tobacco industry will stop at nothing to prevent effective tobacco control policies.
The World No Tobacco Day 2012 focuses on tobacco industry interference and the need to expose and counter the aggressive attempts to undermine the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control because of the serious danger they pose to public health.
The global tobacco epidemic kills nearly 6 million people each year, of which more than 600,000 are people exposed to secondhand smoke. Unless governments and people act, it will kill up to 8 million by 2030, of which more than 80% will live in low- and middle-income countries.
In the Philippines, 240 Filipinos die everyday from tobacco-related illnesses. Smoking prevalence in the country is among the highest in the world; consequently, cigarette prices here are among the lowest in the world.
DOH Red Orchid Awards 2012: List of Winners and Finalists
The Department of Health (DOH) today elevates 5 local government units (LGUs) to the Hall of Fame of the DOH Red Orchid Awards after winning three consecutive years of effective implementation of the 100% tobacco-free environments in their areas. They are Calauag, Quezon; Davao City; Legazpi City; Maasin City; and Talisayan, Misamis Oriental.
Meanwhile, 25 municipalities, 6 cities, 28 government hospitals, 12 government offices and 11 DOH centers for health development (CHDs or DOH regional offices) are proclaimed as Red Orchid awardees for the year.
Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona said that the DOH Red Orchid Awards is the first of its kind in the world in giving out recognition to cities, municipalities, government offices and health facilities that are strictly enforcing tobacco control measures.
Aside from trophies and certificates, the Hall of Fame awardees receive a P500,000 project grant to sustain their tobacco control activities, while the LGUs proclaimed as Red Orchid awardees this year receive an additional P100,000 worth of drugs and medicines that they can use for smoking cessation or control of non-communicable diseases.
The winners are chosen on the strength of their comprehensive efforts to implement a 100% Tobacco-Free Environment following the World Health Organization’s “MPOWER” initiative. MPOWER is an acronym that denotes the six proven tobacco control policies, namely: Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies; Protect people from tobacco smoke; Offer help to quit tobacco use; Warn against the dangers of tobacco; Enforce bans on tobacco advertising; and Raise taxes on tobacco.
For each MPOWER initiative to be operationalized, certain action points or activities should be undertaken by the institutions or LGUs, and these served as the indicators for the Awards. Each indicator was rated with 0 – where there is none; 1 – where there is one; and 2 – where there is more than one. The scores for all indicators were tallied and the total is ranged on percentage points. This became the basis for the color of the orchid each nominee would receive. The red orchid is proclaimed the winner and white and pink orchids are considered as runners-up. Those who have not reach enough scores are provided with the certificate of participation.
Several validation teams were formed and they 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.
A validation tool was used for each of the award categories. Finalists that get the score of 90% and above are declared as winners. On the other hand, since the DOH wanted its centers for health development (CHDs or regional offices) to fully implement the 100% tobacco-free environment, the bar was raised to 95% and above to become winners. Meanwhile, there are no pink and white orchid awardees for government offices.
The following are the complete list of winners and runners-up.
HALL OF FAME:
City Governments
Davao City
Legaspi City
Maasin City
Municipal Governments
Calauag, Quezon
Talisayan, Misamis Oriental
RED ORCHID AWARDEES:
City Governments
Balanga City
Dipolog City
Iloilo City
Marikina City
Roxas City
Santiago City
Municipal Governments
Alamada, North Cotabato
Amlan, Negros Oriental
Anilao, Iloilo
Bauang, La Union
Bindoy, Negros Oriental
Buenavista, Guimaras
Calatrava Romblon
Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya
Dumalag, Capiz
Dumingag, Zamboanga del Norte
Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya
Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya
Esperanza, Agusan del Sur
Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat
Mabinay, Negros Oriental
Naval, Biliran
Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya
Solano, Nueva Vizcaya
Tantangan, South Cotabato
Tupi, South Cotabato
San Juan, La Union
San Juan, Southern Leyte
Veruela, Agusan del Sur
Villaverde, Nueva Vizcaya
Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental
Government Hospitals
Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center
Barlig District Hospital
Bicol Medical Center
Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital
Bicol Sanitarium
Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Hospital
Cotabato Regional and Medical Center
Don Jose Monfort Medical Center Extension Hospital
Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center
Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital
Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital
Lung Center of the Philippines
Mariano Marcos Memorial Medical Center
Mariveles Mental Hospital
Mayoyao District Hospital
National Children’s Hospital
Northern Mindanao Medical Center
Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Hospital
Ospital ng Palawan
Quirino Memorial Medical Center
Region 1 Medical Center
Southern Isabela General Hospital
Tagaytay Treatment and Rehabilitation Center
Talisay District Hospital
Veterans Regional Hospital
Western Visayas Medical Center
Western Visayas Sanitarium
Zamboanga City Medical Center
Government Offices
Butuan City Jail
Civil Service Commission – Region 1
Commission on Population- CAR
Department of Education – Region 1
Land Transportation – Region 10
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
National Food Authority – Santiago City
Nueva Vizcaya Police Provincial Office
Provincial Health Office – Nueva Vizcaya
Provincial Health Office – Misamis Occidental
Santiago City Police Office
68 Infantry “KAAGAPAY” Battalion, 2ID, PA, (AFP) – Region 12
DOH Centers for Health Development (CHDs)
CHD – Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), 3-time winner
CHD – SoCCSKSarGen (Region 12), 3-time winner
CHD – Ilocos (Region 1)
CHD- Central Luzon (Region 3)
CHD – CaLaBaRZon (Region 4-A)
CHD – Bicol (Region 5)
CHD – Western Visayas (Region 6)
CHD – Central Visayas (Region 7)
CHD – CARAGA
CHD – Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
PINK ORCHID AWARDEES
City Government
Kidapawan City
Municipal Government
Sablan, Benguet
Government Hospitals
Ballesteros District Hospital
Bataan General Hospital
Caraga Regional Hospital
Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital
Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center- Talavera Extension
Kapangan Medicare Community Hospital
Lt. Tidang Memorial Hospital
Rizal Medical Center
St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital
San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital
DOH CHDs
CHD – Cagayan Valley (Region 2)
CHD – MiMaRoPa (Region 4-B)
CHD – Eastern Visayas (Region 8)
CHD – Northern Mindanao (Region 10)
CHD – Davao (Region 11)
CHD – Metro Manila (NCR)
WHITE ORCHID AWARDEES
City Governments
City of San Fernando, La Union
Surigao City
Tuguegarao City
Government Hospital
Southern Philippines Medical Center
CERTIFICATES OF PARTICIPATION
Government Offices
Department of Budget and Management – Region 10
Department of Education – Region10
Department of Education – Misamis Occidental
Provincial Health Office – Compostela Valley
(http://www.doh.gov.ph/top/node/5641)
