Brazil is now the World´s Largest Smoke Free country

President Dilma Rousseff signed the law that bans smoking in enclosed places (private and public) in the entire country. The law will expand the smoking ban to all Brazilian States, eliminating the designated smoking areas popularly known as fumodromos.

The new law is a significant milestone for tobacco control in Brazil, and also includes provisions on bans for tobacco product, larger health warnings on cigarette packs. an increase in tobacco tax where the minimum price for cigarettes will increase by 20% in 2012 and 55% in 2015.

It is hoped that the measures in this bill will reduce tobacco consumption among the population from 15% to 9% by 2022. The National Institute of Cancer (INCA) – Ministry of Health and the civil society coalition Alliance Against Tobacco Use (ACT) are both grantees of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) under the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. Both grantees have fostered collaboration across national and local organisations, raised the awareness of decision makers through training and research, and provided legal and technical assistance to different governmental entities to help them achieve comprehensive tobacco control legislation.

Latest ‘Smoke Free Albay’ merit badge, backed by Girl Scouts, DepEd

by Aida Alcazar-Naz

LEGAZPI CITY, November 16 (PIA) -- The introduction of a new merit badge for Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) was received agreeably by the Albay Council and the leadership of Department of Education (DepEd).

The Albay GSP Council, through its Executive Director Ma. Amy Oyardo, gave the green light for the Smoke Free Albay Network (SFAN) to launch said merit badge while DEpEd Albay Division superintendent Marilet Almayda endorsed the earning of the anti-smoking emblem.

The introduction of the merit badge, which took on the official name as Smoke-Free Albay Merit Badge, was one of the highlights of the weeklong GSP Albay Provincial Encampment held at Kawa Kawa, Legazpi City last October 24-29, 2011.

Said launching’s focal point was a symposium on smoke-free kids and the SFAN challenge.

The symposium which was held at the grand arena of the encampment was attended by some 1,200 participants and their adult leaders. Talks on ill-effects of smoking with Dr. Wins Samar of the LIgao City Health Office and the No Smoking Enforcement by P/Sr. Supt William S. Macavinta were important topics discussed.

The forum was capped by the signing of the commitment wall by the participants led by Ligao City Sangguniang Kabataan Federation Vice President Bryan David and Board Member Herbert Borja who also gave the overview of the SFAN.

Meantime, the SFAN challenge, an activity which demonstrated the girls readiness to take part in community work. The girls, whose ages ranged from 10 to 16 years old where divided into four groups. The S group posted stickers in public utility vehicles, the F group “find” ashtrays and encouraged owners to keep if not throw them. The A group appealed to smokers to stop smoking and persuaded them to enroll in the smoking cessation program while the N group posted no smoking signages in government offices.

Among the activities from which the girl scout participant in the encampment can select from are scrap book on no smoking; simple movie maker; self initiative activity of convincing home members to stop smoking; information dissemination at home, or neighborhood or community; distribution of leaflets or posting of stickers and signages; collecting ash trays from different government agencies; collecting cigarette butts using plastic gloves then placed in sealed container; taking photographs of smokers in prohibited areas.

This merit badge on smoking is the first for Albay GSP and the GSP as a whole.

The GSP is an association for girls and young women of the Philippines whose aim is to help girls and young women realize the ideals of womanhood and prepare themselves for their responsibilities in the home, the community, the nation, and the world community. (MAL/AAN, PIA V)

NAPOLCOM officially an SFAN Member

Below is a letter sent by NAPOLCOM to SFAN:

Albay girl scouts promotes no smoking campaign via SFAN challenge

 by Aida Alcazar-Naz

LEGAZPI CITY, November 11 (PIA) -- Children, girls at that can be effective advocates of no smoking.

Ligao City Vice Mayor Patricia G. Alsua said that when girl scouts throng in government buildings and public places in the city to promote no smoking she found the activity very effective.

Ligao, a no smoking city based on an ordinance passed by the sangguniang panglungsod this year was the exemplar for no smoking campaign by the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) Albay Council and the Smoke-Free Albay Network (SFAN) of the Provincial Government of Albay.

Some 1,200 girl scouts who participated in the Albay encampment on the theme Girl Scouts Save the Planet willingly participated in the SFAN challenge in the afternoon of October 27.

The girls whose ages range from 10 to 16 were divided into four groups and enthusiastically did their tasks.

The S group posted stickers in public utility vehicles particularly, jeepneys and tricycles, while the F cluster visited the city hall and nearby public buildings looking for ashtrays and encouraged the owners to keep them if not throw them away. Ashtrays are prohibited in government offices based on Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 17 series of 2009 and DILG Circular no. 2011-15.

Meantime, the A gang appealed to smokers to stop smoking and if needing help to inform SFAN so that they can be enrolled in a cessation program. The N group posted no smoking sign in public offices.

According to Haidie Rivera of a non-government organization Advantage who accompanied the A group young, girls are effective promoters of no smoking as they were able to convince smokers to kick the habit.

Herbert Mayores, director of AMA College Legazpi described the positive reaction of people when the group he accompanied started posting signages in public buildings.

Each group was accompanied by adult scout leaders, SFAN members, and elements of the Philippine National Police during the SFAN challenge held at the poblacion of Ligao City.

Alma Lozada former GSP Albay executive director now SFAN member representing Bicol University Extension Service Center said that the SFAN challenge was the first ever in any GSP encampment.

The purpose of the activity did not only made the scouters promoters of no smoking but as an approach of educating girls that smoking is not good for the health whether one is a smoker or passive smoker.

The Albay Girl Scouts Encampment wash held October 24-29 at Kawakawa Ligao City, Albay. (MAL/AAN, PIA V)

SFAN- GSP Council Encampment

October 27, 2011, Kawa- Kawa Ligao City

SFAN members participated on the GSP Council Encampment

GSP Sub- Team1 with their escort from Team PNP

Troop "N" on their SFAN Challenge

Ms. Gilor Tino of Deprtment of Education interviewed by Mr. Jimmy Nasalita of DZGB

Sr. Supt. William S. Macavinta on his message about the Legal Aspect of Smoke- Free Policy

Hon. Herbert S. Borja giving the overview of SFAN to GSP

PROPOSED MERIT BADGE

LGU- DARAGA

Passage of the Smoke-Free Daraga Ordinance

Tobacco Industry Interference:

LGU- TABACO SMOKE- FREE 2ND HEARING EXTENSION PART II

Hon. Reynaldo B. Bragais
City Vice- Mayor

Hon. Nestor San Pablo
Councilor

Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation
Representatives:  Mr. Reynaldo Corona, Mr. Jade Sorreda and Mr. Felizardo Mercado

Hon. Luis Rener Burce
City Councilor

Hon. Lourdes Belangel- Berces
Councilor

Ho. Sheina Marie C. Onrubia

Tobacco Industry Interference:

LGU- TABACO SMOKE- FREE 2ND HEARING EXTENSION PART I

SFAN URGES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO STRICTLY IMPLEMENT SMOKE-FREE POLICIES

Legazpi City, September 7, 2011- Fourteen out of the eighteen cities and municipalities of Albay was reported to have an existing Smoke- Free Ordinance as monitored by the Albay Philippine National Police Office headed by Sr. Supt. William Macavinta, Provincial Director. Said report was presented by PD Macavinta during the regular meeting of the Smoke- Free Albay Network (SFAN) last September 7, 2011.

Given report is as follows:

LGU	Smoke- Free Ordinance
Legazpi City	-Smoke- Free Ordinance #0007- 2009 “ The Revised Smoke- Free Ordinance of Legazpi City” on full Implementation
Tabaco City	- Ordinance No. 02- 2008 “ An Ordinance barring Drivers / Passengers of Pedaled Tricycles from Smoking while in Public Places and Public Roads”
Ligao City	- New Smoke- Free Ordinance #2011-004 “Prohibiting Advertisement of Cigarettes and Tobacco Products in certain Places.” on Full Implementation - Resolution #2008- 088 “ A Resolution Enjoining all Secondary School Administrators, Barangay Officials and PNP Personnel of Ligao City to Strictly Implement Section 5 and Section 10 of Republic Act 9211,” “Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003”
Bacacay, Albay	- Municipal Ordinance No. 121 s 2004 “Regulate Smoking in Public Conveyances”
Sto. Domingo	- Ordinance #02- 97 “An Ordinance banning Smoking in Public Places Among Persons Aging Eighteen Years Old and Below and the Selling of Cigarettes to Students within the Fifty Meters Radius near the School Campuses” - Executive Order No. 4s 2010 “Declaring the Sto. Domingo Municipal Building Compound , Sto Domingo, Albay as “Smoke-free Zone””
Malilipot	Municipal Ordinance No. 01- 99 “An Ordinance Prohibiting Smoking in Places Designated as No Smoking Areas Pursuant to Memorandum Circular No 30 S 1991 of the Civil Service Commission in Relation to CSC Resolution No 91-787”
Malinao	-none-
Tiwi	- Municipal Ordinance No. 155- 159 “Anti-Smoking Ordinance Below 17 years old”
Manito	- Municipal Ordinance No. 02- 2005 “An Ordinance Seeking to Regulate Smoking in Public Places, Including Public Conveyances and Providing Penalties thereto in Accordance with the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9211 or “ Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 ”
Rapu- Rapu	Proposed Smoke- Free policy, “Safeguard public health and ensure the well being of its constituents.”
Daraga	Municipal Resolution No. 38- 2010 “ A resolution urging the municipal Mayor, Hon. Gerry R. Jaucian , to observe the mandate of the clean air act by issuing an executive order imposing “No Smoking” policy in the Municipal Hall and designating a “Smoking area” for smokers”.
Camalig	-none-
Guinobatan	- Municipal Ordinance No. 13- 2005 “An Ordinance Regulating Smoking in All Government Offices, Including Public Places, Public Conveyances and Providing Penalties thereto in Accordance with RA 9211 or Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003” and RA 8749 or the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999”
Oas	Ordinance No. 12- 1997 “ An ordinance prohibiting smoking within the Municipal building as well as in all offices in the LGU of Oas, Albay”
Polangui	- Ordinance No. 4 s 1998 “An Ordinance Prohibiting Smoking in Public and Private Places Including public and private Buildings , Enclosures, Offices or Establishments, whether Air-conditioned or not, which offer Goods for Sale or Services for Hire within the Jurisdiction of the Municipality of Polangui Albay, Providing penalties for the Violations thereof and for other Purposes.”
Pio Duran	Municipal Ordinance No. 2004- 123 “An Ordinance Seeking to Regulate Smoking in public Places, Including Public Conveyances and Providing Penalties thereto in Accordance with the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9211 or “Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003”
Jovellar	-none-
Libon	Municipal Ordinance 2- 005 “ An ordinance regulating the use of public places, establishment, prohibiting nuisance there up and providing penal ties for violations thereof.”

Given this data, the Smoke- Free Albay Network (SFAN) got more inspired and was challenged to be more vigilant in pursuing the Smoke- Free campaign. Ms. Aida Naz of Philippine Information Agency challenged PD Macavinta to spearhead the province-wide enforcement. PD Macavinta proposed for a province-wide ticketing system.

SFAN will look into this, if possible, to include such provision in the proposed Smoke-Free Albay Ordinance. END.

TOBACCO COMPANY BEHIND SMOKING BAN COMPLAINT?

Daraga Public Hearing"

JULY 7, 2011, Sangguniang Bayan Hall, Daraga Albay