Smoke-Free Baguio City

25/08/2026

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Revenue Region No. 13, Central Visayas Region, conducted the destruction of Seized and Forfeited Illicit ci******es and related manufacturing materials on August 13, 2026. This scheduled destruction is the culmination of a series of relentless and intelligence-driven enforcement operations conducted by the BIR RR No. 13, through its Regional Strike Team from October 2024 to June 2025, against illegal cigarette manufacturing, storage and distribution activities within the province of Cebu.

Read the entire article here:
https://pia.gov.ph/press-release/secretary-frederick-go-leads-bir-destruction-of-seized-illicit-ci******es-cigarette-making-materials-and-cigarette-production-machine-in-cebu/

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Revenue Region No. 13, Central Visayas Region, conducted the destruction of Seized and Forfeited Illicit ci******es and related manufacturing materials on August 13, 2026. This scheduled destruction is the culmination of a series of relentless and intelligence-d...

24/08/2026

Young people should not be treated as a market for addiction.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17iqTARZi7/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Young people should not be treated as a market for addiction.

Global Youth Voices calls on governments to ban all existing and emerging addictive to***co and ni****ne products. There is no such thing as ‘safe addiction,’ and no justification for allowing the industry to recruit a new generation of customers.

A generation free from ni****ne addiction is possible.

Read the GYV Open Letter:https://gyv-cms.ggtc.world/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/GYV-IYD-2026-Open-Letter.pdf

24/08/2026

Smoking ci******es can kill you, but before you die, you could experience some pretty terrible diseases and health conditions from smoking. This article discusses some of the most gruesome diseases caused by smoking.

https://www.lung.org/research/sotc/by-the-numbers/10-worst-diseases-smoking-causes

Smoking ci******es will kill you, but before you die, you could experience some pretty terrible diseases and health conditions from smoking.

21/08/2026

BACOLOD CITY - Operatives of the Philippine Naional Police (PNP) Maritime Group’s Fourth Special Operations Unit arrested seven persons after intercepting P21 million worth of alleged smuggled ci******es in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, on Saturday, August 15.

Arrested were a 48-year-old male boat captain from Barangay Mampang, a 34-year-old man from Barangay Arina Blanco, a 24-year-old man from Barangay Mampang, an 18-year-old man from Barangay Tonkir, a 52-year-old man from Mangaya-ay, Purok 4, Mampang; a 27-year-old man from the same area, and a 42-year-old man from Liha-Liha, Mampang, all in Zamboanga City.

According to the police, the suspects were flagged while in a blue, red, and green motorized banca powered by twin engines with a defaced engine number, during a seaborne patrol operation.

Read the entire article here:
https://mb.com.ph/2026/08/16/pnp-maritime-foils-entry-of-p21-m-smuggled-ci******es-to-negros

BACOLOD CITY - Operatives of the Philippine Naional Police (PNP) Maritime Group’s Fourth Special Operations Unit arrested seven persons after intercepting P21...

20/08/2026

UPDATES FROM THE TASK FORCE -At the request of the City Council, the Smoke-Free Task Force, represented by City Health Officer & Co-Chairperson Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes and To***co Control Program Coordinator Dr. Donnabel Panes, provided updates on the Task Force's accomplishments during the Regular Session held at the Sangguniang Panlungsod Hall on Monday, August 17.

The City Council was apprised of the Task Force's Information, Education, and Communication activities, finances, enforcement data, number of to***co-related deaths in the city, prevalence of to***co and v**e use among residents, and its latest international awards and recognition.

Councilor Vladimir Cayabas made an oral motion during the July 13 Regular Session inviting the Task Force to be resource persons in aid of legislation.

✍️: JD Rivera
📸: JD Rivera

20/08/2026

MANILA – Youth advocates are urging the government to impose significantly higher and uniform excise taxes on all types of e-ci******es and va**ng products to curb accessibility among students and protect public health.

In a statement on Thursday, the Youth for Health Coalition expressed full support for the Department of Finance’s proposal to raise the excise tax on both salt ni****ne and freebase ni****ne v**es to PHP72.93 per milliliter (ml).

Under the current tax structure, freebase ni****ne is taxed at PHP6.95 per ml, while salt ni****ne is levied at PHP60.29 per ml.

The youth coalition argued that tax rates must be equalized across all ni****ne types, warning that a price disparity could merely drive consumers to switch to cheaper freebase alternatives rather than reducing ni****ne intake.

Read the entire article here:
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1281820

MANILA – Youth advocates are urging the government to impose significantly higher and uniform excise taxes on all types of e-ci******es and va**ng products to curb accessibility among students and protect public health. In a statement on Thursday, the Youth for Health Coalition expressed full…

19/08/2026

EMPLOYEE HEALTH DAY - In celebration of National Lung Month, the Smoke-Free Task Force joins the Department of Health - Cordillera Center for Health Development and the City Health Services Office in providing free health services for City Hall employees and clients on Monday, August 17.

Health Risk Assessment Checks, Chest X-Ray Services, PhilHealth Yakap Registration, Pneumonia, HPV, and Measles Rubella Vaccines, HIV Screening Services, and Smoke-Free IEC services were made available to all employees and clients.

You can never go wrong with investing in your health. Take the first step now: get checked, consistently make healthier choices, and choose to live a smoke-free, v**e-free, and ni****ne-free life.

✍️: JD Rivera
📸: JD Rivera, Noel Boaz Moratal

19/08/2026

New focus group research conducted by researchers at the Institute for Global To***co Control (IGTC) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health finds a tidal wave of flavors from e-cigarette manufacturers have been embraced by Filipino youth since 2022, when the Philippine government lifted restrictions on e-cigarette flavors and lowered the legal purchasing age to 18.

Read the entire article here:
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/institute-for-global-to***co-control/2026/filipino-youth-verify-open-secret-about-va**ng-the-sales-target-is-young-ones

Teens discuss how flavors and social media are key influences driving e-cigarette use and appeal within their peer groups.

18/08/2026

SAN VICENTE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL FRIDAY SESSIONS - San Vicente National High School's (SVNHS) Friday Sessions for its Junior High School and Senior High School learners continue on August 14.

At the school's request, representatives of the Smoke-Free Task Force conduct lectures on the adverse effects of smoking and va**ng, as well as the Smoke-Free Baguio Ordinance.

SVNHS conducts these weekly Friday Sessions to enhance the physical and mental health of its students, ensuring a healthy learning environment and helping them learn to maintain a healthy body and mind.

The Friday Sessions are set to finish once all grade levels are able to attend the lectures.

✍️: JD Rivera
📸: Noel Boaz Moratal

18/08/2026

First published online March 10, 2026 in the journal, To***co Induced Diseases, the study concluded that increasing cigarette taxes by 23% (from 69.46 to 90.00 Philippine pesos—or roughly $1.53 U.S. tax per pack) and increasing graphic health warning label coverage to 85% (with images showing the dire health impacts of smoking) could motivate more people in the Philippines to consider quitting altogether.

Read the entire article here:
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/institute-for-global-to***co-control/2026/filipino-adults-who-smoke-reveal-what-policy-changes-could-help-them-quit

Survey says: Heftier price tags and bigger warnings could trigger more consumers to stop smoking.