CLARK FREEPORT -- The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) Bataan Provincial Field Office was conferred the “Red Orchid” award for 2018 by the Department of Health (DOH).
The Red Orchid award is a DOH incentive program which calls for the absolute smoking ban among government offices, and encourages local government units to do the same in their health facilities and other public places.
It is given to any government office with exemplary work and strength of comprehensive efforts on anti-smoking campaign.
Dole Bataan Field Office garnered a high score of 104.76 percent, hence, bagging the Red Orchid award.
The Red Orchid award with a percentage of 100 is given to any office or agency with highest citation in the anti-smoking campaign, followed by the Pink Orchid with 81 percent to 90 percent and the White Orchid with 71 percent to 80 percent, respectively.
Participants were judged based on the acronym devised by the DOH as MPOWER which denotes the six proven tobacco control policies, namely monitor tobacco control policies; protect people from tobacco smoke; offer help to quit tobacco use; warn against the dangers of tobacco; enforce bans on tobacco advertising; and raise taxes on tobacco.
Representatives of the DOH conducted a validation and winners were judged based on the strength of the comprehensive efforts to implement the 100 percent smoke-free environment in the workplace.
Dole Bataan provincial head Leilani Reynoso was grateful of the recognition as their collective effort at the field office for the implementation of the DOH program was recognized promptly.
“A lot of studies have shown that smoking is one of the preventable causes of death, and the number of smokers and tobacco consumption is continuously increasing, thus DOLE is genuinely committed in supporting the program of the DOH in its goal of having an environment free of smoke,” Reynoso said.
The DOH revealed that from the inception of the Red Orchid award in 2009 to 2017, it has declared 68 hall of fame awards (14 cities and 54 municipalities) and 89 Red Orchid awardees. (Dole-Central Luzon)