Albay launches Blue Ribbon Campaign to intensify smoke-free initiative

Tuesday 3rd of July 2012

LEGAZPI CITY, July 3 (PIA) -- The provincial government of Albay spearheaded the launch of the Blue Ribbon Campaign and the Smoke-Free Merit Badge System in the province this June 28 at the St. Ellis Hotel.

This move is to further strengthen the partnership of groups and stakeholders concerned in promoting smoke-free environment.

Smoke-Free Albay Network (SFAN) chairman and Albay board member Herbert Borja said Albay is the first province in the country to launch the Smoke-Free Merit Badge.

It is awarded to boys and girls scouts in recognition of their effort in supporting and implementing the policies and advocacies of the SFAN.

Around 20 boys and girl scouts in the province were awarded with the said merit badge.

Four local government units namely the cities of Legazpi, Tabaco and Ligao and the town of Daraga were also recognized for their promotion of 100 percent Smoke-Free Indoor environment along with 10 business establishments in this city.

In response to the said recognition, Legazpi City Mayor Geraldine Rosal vowed to sustain the enforcement of the smoke-free campaign.

“We can’t rest on our laurels as the Hall of Famer. We will continue to think of ways to further strengthen the program,” Rosal said.

Legazpi City has been recently hailed as the Hall of Famer for being a recipient of the Red Orchid Award for three consecutive years.

Meanwhile, the Blue Ribbon Campaign is the initiative of World Health Organization (WHO) in the Western Pacific Region to serve as mechanism for health advocates to provide recognition of important work carried out by its partners in implementing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

This year’s campaign anchored on the theme, “Saving Lives from Second-Hand Smoke” focuses on raising awareness on the dangers of second-hand smoke.

Classified by the International Agency for Cancer Research as a carcinogen, second-hand smoke has been the cause of death of more than 600,000 people each year, of which 28 percent are children. (Sally A. Atento /MAL/SAA-PIA 5/Albay)