Frequently Asked Questions on 100% SMOKE-FREE Environment Policy

What is the 100% Smoke-Free Environment Policy? Under the Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular # 17, series 2009, smoking is prohibited in government buildings, grounds and premises except for designated outdoor smoking areas. In places providing services relating to health and youth activity, smoking is absolutely prohibited and smoking areas are not allowed.

Why is the 100% Smoke Free Policy needed? The policy is designed to promote safe and healthy workplaces and to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke, which can cause life-threatening diseases such as: Heart Disease: Workers exposed to second-hand smoke have a 35-50% increased risk of heart disease. Constant exposure to second-hand smoke nearly doubles the risk of a heart attack. Lung Cancer: Workers exposed to second-hand smoke at work have a 25% elevated risk of lung cancer. Poor Respiratory Health: The effects of second-hand smoke on lung function are similar to that of light smoking and it can cause emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks, among others. Seven out of every 10 smokers want to quit smoking, and smokefree policies can help smokers quit successfully by reducing environmental triggers and not allowing smoking to be the norm.

Where can smokers go to smoke while in the government premises? Except for places where smoking is absolutely prohibited, smoking is allowed only in designated and marked outdoor smoking areas that are: located in an open-space with no permanent or temporary roof or walls, and limited to only one smoking area per government building; not within 10 meters (33 feet) of entrances, exits or any place where people pass or congregate; not larger than 10 square meters; and not serving food or drinks.

How can I help ensure compliance with the policy? Speak up Let smokers around you know that you mind. Tell them that there is a new smoke free policy and point smokers to the smoking area where one is available. Report Violations Employees and the public may report violations of the policy to the head of office. Use Posters and Signs Put NO SMOKING stickers on all doors and in all restrooms. Remove ashtrays.

In which types of government agencies is SMOKING ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED? Government buildings, premises, and grounds providing health, education and/or social welfare and development services such as but not limited to: hospitals; health centers; schools, universities, colleges; and centers of youth activity

DOH RED ORCHID AWARDS 2009

Search for the 100% Smoke-Free DOH Offices, Hospitals & Local Government Units
CKGR GROUND BACKGROUND Smoking in the Philippines is among the highest in the world today. In 2008, the World Lung Foundation and the American Cancer Society ranked the Philippines as 9th highest for adult male smokers and 16th highest for female adult smokers. Even among the worlds youth, the country was among the heaviest tobacco users with Filipino girls occupying the 2nd place and Filipino boys in the 4th place in 2003. The 2007 Global Youth Tobacco Survey revealed that 22% of the Filipino teenagers or 1 in 5 high school students aged 13 15 years currently smoke. This reflects an increase of 30% over the past two years. Equally alarming is that hundreds of thousands of people who never smoked worldwide die each year from illnesses related to inhalation of other peoples tobacco smoke, or what is now termed as secondhand smoke. Studies have shown that exposure for as little as 8 to 20 minutes causes physical reactions linked to heart disease and stroke. The heart rate increases; the hearts oxygen supply decreases; and blood vessels constrict which increases blood pressure and makes the heart work harder. Thus, second-hand smoke also causes disease and death in healthy nonsmokers. A Filipino is dying every 6 minutes due to tobacco-related diseases. The cure for this devastating tobacco epidemic in the country is dependent on concerted actions of people in the community, government and civil societies to encourage people to quit smoking for health reasons and to protect people from exposure to secondhand smoke. Implementing a 100% Smoke-Free Environment in Department of Healths (DOH) central and regional offices, hospitals and attached agencies as well as in all levels of local government units (provincial, city, municipal and barangay) is the start of protecting the population from the harmful effects of tobacco use and exposure. Following the guidelines set by the World Health Organizations (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 and its corresponding Implementing Rules and Regulations, the DOH Administrative Order No. 2009-0010 on the Rules and Regulations Promoting a 100% Smoke-Free Environment, and the Civil Service Commissions Memorandum Circular No. 17, s. 2009 or the Smoking Prohibition based on 100% Smoke-Free Environment Policy, the DOH RED ORCHID AWARDS 2009 is launched. CATEGORIES CATEGORIES The DOH RED ORCHID AWARDS 2009 shall be divided into two categories: DOH Central Offices and Bureaus; Centers for Health Development; Hospitals; and attached Agency Offices LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGU) City and Municipality (The province with the most number of LGU awardees will also given recognition.) CRITERIA Awardees shall be chosen on the strength of their comprehensive efforts to implement a 100% Smoke-Free Environment following the WHOs MPOWER initiative. MPOWER is an acronym that denotes six proven control strategies, namely: Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies; Protect people from tobacco smoke; Offer help to quit tobacco use; Warn about dangers of tobacco; Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion & sponsorship; Raise taxes on tobacco (This initiative shall be waived for the DOH Offices and Hospital categories). The indicators for judging on each initiative per category are listed in the Self-Assessment Form on suceeding pages. This form shall be filled up by agencies eligible for the Awards and shall be submitted to the DOH Center for Health Development (CHD) concerned for validation and confirmation of the nomination. NOMINA NOMINATION All CHDs are automatically nominated for the DOH RED ORCHID AWARDS 2009 and they shall submit their Self-Assessment Form to the DOH Central Office Awards Committee for validation. Meanwhile, the CHD shall screen and officially nominate eligible DOH hospital, city/municipal government units in their respective areas and shall submit the properly filled-up Nomination and Self-Assessment forms to the DOH Central Office Awards Committee for validation.

For the DOH Central Offices, Bureaus and attached agencies, who are eligible, shall submit their self assessment form to the DOH Central Office Awards Committee for validation. All Nomination and Self-Assessment forms (hard copies) shall be submitted on or before October 1, 2009 to: PAULYN JEAN ROSELL-UBIAL, MD, MPH Assistant Secretary Department of Health Field Implementation Management Office (FIMO) 2nd Flr. Bldg. 4 San Lazaro Compound Sta. Cruz, Manila JUDGING The DOH Central Office Awards Committee shall validate, rate and declare the winners of the DOH RED ORCHID AWARDS 2009. The Committees decision is final and executory. The DOH Central Office Awards Committee shall be composed of members from the following agencies and offices: DOH-National Center for Disease Prevention and Control; DOH-National Center for Health Promotion; Department of the Interior and Local Governments; Civil Service Commission; and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines. The number of awardees shall not be limited. PRIZES A specially-designed trophy will be awarded to the winners. The winners will be hailed as Best Practices in the National Tobacco Prevention and Control Program of the country in official documents, statements and releases of the DOH. The LGU that will be in the Awards roster for three consecutive years shall be provided with grants to sustain its tobacco prevention and control efforts.

IMPORT DA IMPORTANT DATES

July September
The CHDs shall do their own screening and validation for nominees to the DOH Central Office Awards Committee.

October 1
Deadline of submission by the CHDs of nomination and self-assessment forms. October 2-4 Self - Assessment form review by the Technical Working Group

October 5 30
The DOH Central OfficeTWG Validation Team shall rate eligible nominees. November 1-10 DOH Central Office Awards Committee shall deliberate on awardees

November 20
Awarding Ceremonies

Self Assessment Form

DOH OFFICES INCLUDING ATTACHED AGENCIES CENTRAL OFFICES AND CENTERS FOR HEALTH DEVELOPMENT

(M) Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies

INDICATORS: 1. No. of policy issuance on tobacco control/anti-smoking initiatives 2. No. of coordinator/s handling tobacco prevention and control program 3. Budget allotted for tobacco control program activities 4. HR costs of staff handling the tobacco control program 5. Membership of concerned office in any anti-smoking task force or Regional Committee in Tobacco Control (RCTC) created 6. No. of government agencies, civil society, academe and LGU actively participating in the RCTC 7. Policy system of non-smoker staff recruited for vacant plantilla posts 8. No. of smoke-free establishments where training and other capacity building activities were held. (define smoke-free establishments) 9. No. of no smoking signages posted in strategic places No. of anti-tobacco researches including surveillance studies supported financially by the office

4. No. of callers availing of quitline services 5. No. of smokers assisted through brief intervention counseling either on one-onone basis or group counseling 6. Profile of smokers in the office 7. No. of smokers classified as to action taken by the office (reprimanded, referred for cessation counseling, fined, etc.)

(W) Warn about the dangers of tobacco

INDICATORS: 1. No. of picture-based health warning posters displayed in strategic places in the area of jurisdiction 2. No. of kinds of graphic/picture-based IEC materials developed

(E) Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship

INDICATORS: 1. No. of policy issuance stipulating the ban on selling of tobacco products within 100 meter perimeter of the office concerned 2. No. of tobacco companies denied promotional events/activities 3. No. of violations documented by DOH representatives and other DOH staff on the total ban on tobacco advertising in point of sales establishments

(P) Protect people from the effects of smoking

INDICATORS: 1. Totally NO designated smoking area within the area of jurisdiction 2. No. of kinds of IEC materials developed 3. No. of kinds of IEC materials disseminated 4. No. of kinds of IEC materials displayed in the offices

(O) Offer help to quit tobacco use

INDICATORS: 1. No. of multidisciplinary staff dedicated to providing smoking cessation services 2. No. of smoking cessation coordinator Presence of smoking cessation facilities: - physical space with tables and chairs either separate or integrated into existing Public Health Units - landline telephone dedicated for quitline - algorithm for cessation posted on the wall of the facility - wall of the facility with effects of smoking - posters with quitline numbers posted on strategic places - cessation clinic services signages

Self Assessment Form

DOH HOSPITALS
4. No. of callers availing of quitline services 5. No. of smokers/clients assisted through brief intervention counseling either on one-on-one basis or group counseling 6. No. of medical practitioners/ specialists to be tapped in the provision of pharmacologic intervention to smokers 7. No. of patients asked regarding their smoking status 8. Profile of smokers in the hospital 9. No. of smokers classified as to action taken by the office (reprimanded, referred for cessation counseling, fined, etc.) 1 No. of patients benefited by the enhanced outpatient benefit package for Minors and Overseas Workers Program and particularly on counseling for cessation on smoking 1 No. of support groups created for smokers who quit

(M) Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies

INDICATORS: 1. No. of policy issuance on tobacco control/anti-smoking initiatives 2. No. of coordinator/s handling tobacco prevention and control program 3. Budget allotted for tobacco control program activities 4. HR costs of staff handling the tobacco control program 5. No. of non-smoker staff recruited for vacant plantilla posts 6. No. of smoke-free establishments where training and other capacity building activities were held 7. No. of no smoking signages posted in strategic places 8. No. of anti-tobacco researches including surveillance studies supported financially by the office

(W) Warn about the dangers of tobacco (P) Protect people from the effects of smoking
INDICATORS: 1. Totally NO designated smoking area within the area of jurisdiction 2. No. of kinds of IEC materials developed 3. No. of kinds of IEC materials disseminated 4. No. of kinds of IEC materials displayed in the offices INDICATORS: 1. No. of picture-based health warning posters displayed in strategic places in the area of jurisdiction 2. No. of kinds of graphic/picture-based IEC materials developed

(E) Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship

INDICATORS:

(O) Offer help to quit tobacco use

INDICATORS: 1. No. of multidisciplinary staff dedicated to providing smoking cessation services 2. No. of smoking cessation coordinator Presence of smoking cessation facilities: - physical space with tables and chairs either separate or integrated into existing Public Health Units, Women and Children Protection Units or DOTS Clinics - landline telephone dedicated for quitline - cellular phone dedicated for quitline - algorithm for cessation posted on the wall of the facility - wall of the facility with effects of smoking - posters with quitline numbers posted on strategic places - cessation clinic services signages

1. No. of policy issuance stipulating the ban on selling of tobacco products within 100 meter perimeter of the office concerned 2. No. of violations with action taken either reprimanded/given disciplinary action for selling tobacco products within one hundred meters from any point of perimeter of the area concerned/fined 3. No. of tobacco companies denied sponsorship and/or promotional events/ activities

Self Assessment Form

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS TO INCLUDE CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

6. No. of medical practitioners/ specialists to be tapped in the provision of pharmacologic intervention to smokers 7. No. of patients asked regarding their smoking status in RHUs/CHDs 8. Profile of smokers among healthcare providers 9. No. of smokers classified as to action taken by the office (reprimanded, referred for cessation counseling, fined, etc.) 1 No. of patients in the health facility benefited by the enhanced outpatient benefit package for Overseas Workers Program and minors particularly on counseling for cessation on smoking 1. No. of support groups created for smokers who quit

(M) Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies

INDICATORS: 1. No. of city or municipal resolution or ordinance on tobacco control/anti-smoking initiatives 2. No. of public places in the city or municipality with total ban on smoking 3. No. of public conveyances with no smoking stickers posted inside 4. No. of coordinator/s handling tobacco prevention and control program 5. No. of provision in the city or municipal investment plan for health or plan of action with anti-tobacco initiatives 6. Budget allotted for tobacco control program activities 7. Functionalilty of city or municipal smoke-free task force. 8. No. of no smoking signages posted in strategic places 9. No. of smoke-free establishments where training and other capacity building activities were held 1 No. of policy issuance on citation ticket system of the city or municipality 1 No. of enforcers implementing the city or municipal resolution or ordinance No. of citizens including youth deputized by city or municipality to enforce specific provisions of the resolution or ordinance 1 Morbidity and/or mortality statistics on tobacco-related diseases

(W) Warn about the dangers of tobacco

INDICATORS: 1. No. of picture-based health warning posters posted in strategic places in the area of jurisdiction 2. No. of prototype kinds of graphic/picture-based IEC materials developed

(E) Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship

INDICATORS: 1. No. of policy issuance stipulating the ban on selling of tobacco products within 100 meter from any point of the perimeter of a school, public playground, or other facility frequented particularly by minors 2. No. of policy issuance on the ban on outdoor tobacco advertising including outside point-of-sale establishments No. of violations with action taken either reprimanded, given disciplinary action or fined: for selling tobacco products within 100 meters from any point of the perimeter of a school, public playground, or other facility frequented particularly by minors any point of perimeter of the area concerned/fined - for violating ban on outdoor advertising such as billboards outside point-of sale establishments 4. No. of tobacco companies denied sponsorship and/or promotional events/ activities Amount of fines collected: - for selling tobacco products within 100 meters from any point of the perimeter of a school, public playground, or other facility frequented particularly by minors any point of perimeter of the area concerned/fined - for violating ban on outdoor advertising including outside point-of-sale establishments

(P) Protect people from the effects of smoking

INDICATORS: 1. No. of registered smoke-free establishments (smoke free means designated smoking areas are outdoor and not in enclosed place) 2. No. of kinds of IEC materials developed 3. No. of kinds of IEC materials disseminated 4. No. of kinds of IEC materials displayed in the offices (City Hall, RHU) 5. No. of signages on the point-of-sale establishments selling tobacco products stating: Sale/distribution to or purchase by minors of tobacco products is unlawful or It is unlawful for tobacco products to be sold/distributed to or purchased by persons under 18 years of age.

(O) Offer help to quit tobacco use

INDICATORS: 1. No. of multidisciplinary staff dedicated to providing smoking cessation services 2. No. of smoking cessation coordinator 3. Presence of smoking cessation facilities in the rural health units/ barangay health stations 4. Presence of quitline services 5. No. of smokers/clients assisted through brief intervention counseling either on one-on-one basis or group counseling

(R) Raise taxes on tobacco

INDICATORS: 1. No. of policy issuance imposing business permit fees for retailers of cigarettes 2. No. of policy to raise taxes on tobacco products

Nomination Form

DOH RED ORCHID AWARDS

2009

FOR THE NOMINEE

NAME OF INSTITUTION: __________________________________________________________________________________ HEAD OF INSTITUTION: __________________________________________________________________________________ OFFICIAL DESIGNATION: _________________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ TEL. NO.: ______________________________________

EMAIL ADDRESS: ____________________________________ FAX NO.: ______________________________________

I hereby grant permission to the DOH RED ORCHID AWARDS 2009 Committee to perform independent verification of any facts contained in the Nomination and Self-Assessment Forms for accuracy. Furthermore, if selected as one of the awardees, I will attend the presentation during the awarding ceremony.

________________________________________ NOMINEES SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME

FOR THE CHD NOMINATOR

NAME OF CHD: _________________________________________________________________________________________ DIRECTOR: ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

SIGNATURE:

________________________________________