ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Red Orchid national evaluators from the Department of Health assessed the city's anti-smoking campaign last May 2 in line with this year's Red Orchid Award.

"For the second time, Roxas City remains a strong contender in the award," said a Roxas City government news release.

In 2011, the city government won the Red Orchid Award for its efforts in trying to achieve a "100 percent tobacco-free environment."

A city ordinance banned smoking in public places and reinforced by information campaign and presence of anti-smoking posters in government offices and public places.

Even city government employees were warned that they will be laid off once they are caught smoking inside their offices.

A task force has been created to apprehend and penalize violators.

The ordinance is reinforced by Republic Act 9211, otherwise known as the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003.

In a national survey, smoking prevalence among Filipino youth is expected to increase as it had already jumped from 15 percent in 2003 to 21.6 percent in 2007.

A study conducted by the University of the Philippines, College of Public Health, the National Epidemiology Center of the DOH and World Health Organization showed that about 240 Filipinos who die every year are due to tobacco-related cases.*PIA