Iloilo City is one of the Local Government Unit awardees for the 2012 Red Orchid Award because of its campaign against smoking.

The award was conferred on Iloilo City by the Department of Health at the Philippine Trade Training Center, Pasay City last May 29.

Inigo Garingalao, director of the Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Taskforce (ICAST), said the award was given because of their efforts in enforcing City Regulation Ordinance 2006-150 or the Comprehensive Anti Smoking Ordinance of Iloilo City".

"ICAST has not only apprehended violators of the ordinance but advocated on informing citizens of the health hazards of cigarette smoking. We held programs and activities like hanging of warning posters," he said.

He said the award will further encourage them to show to the public that they are serious with the campaign to regulate smoking.

The ICAST has arrested 3,000 individuals who smoked in non-smoking areas since they started operating in 2010. Of the number, 1,500 are students making them the top violators, followed by taxi and jeepney drivers.

Under the anti-smoking ordinance, a first-time violator will pay a fine of P 500. For the second offense, there will be a fine of P1,000 and for the third and subsequent offenses, P5,000.

If the violator fails to pay within three days, the case will be handled by the City Legal Office.

An establishment caught without a smoking area will be fined P 500 for the first offense; P1,000, second; and third and subsequent offenses, P 5,000 and closure of business.

OTHER AWARDEES

The other LGU awadees in Western Visayas are Roxas City in Capiz and Buenavista in Guimaras. They were awardees last year.

The same award was also given to four hospitals in the region for their health facilities and implementation of anti-smoking programs in their communities. They are Western Visayas Sanitarium in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo, Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Mandurriao, Iloilo City, Department of Health 6 (DOH-6) and Anilao Monfort Hospital in Anilao, Iloilo.*