Focused on “Benchmarking of Smoke-free Policies and Strengthening of Enforcement”, this will be the 2nd Smoke-Free Cities ASEAN Workshop held by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) with delegates coming from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Bataan Gov. Albert Raymond Garcia leads city and provincial officials in welcoming the guests. Balanga City Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III said one of the specific objectives of the workshop is to learn from Smoke-free Balanga through a study visit to the different smoke-free places and sharing of experiences in enforcement.
The City is a recipient of the Red Orchid Award from the Department of Health for three consecutive years for its successful implementation of its anti-smoking campaign, earning a place in the Hall of Fame.
A multi-sectoral alliance established to support ASEAN countries in developing and putting in place effective tobacco control policies, SEATCA is acknowledged by governments and academic institutions for its advancement of tobacco control movements in Southeast Asia. The World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office has engaged SEATCA in 2004 in providing technical assistance directly to government officials across the region right after WHO-WPRO presented it in the “World No Tobacco Day Awards”.
