BAGUIO, Philippines – Years of sustained enforcement, thousands of recorded violations and a sharp decline in smoking prevalence earned Baguio City a World Health Organization (WHO) award on Monday, setting it apart from many local governments that have anti-smoking ordinances but struggle to enforce them.

Baguio received a 2026 World No Tobacco Day Award on Monday morning, June 15, from Dr. Florante Trinidad, national professional officer for WHO Philippines’ Tobacco Free Initiative.

“The data shows that they are really doing something. They are sustaining the enforcement of the ordinance. Unlike other local government units with similar ordinances, they lack enforcement or implementation,” Trinidad said.

The recognition comes nearly eight years after Baguio began implementing its Smoke-Free Baguio Ordinance, one of the country’s strictest anti-smoking and anti-vaping measures.

Records from the City Health Services Office (CHSO) show authorities recorded 27,742 violations involving individuals and establishments from 2018 to June 6, 2026.

The highest number came during the ordinance’s first year of implementation in 2018, when authorities recorded 5,259 violations. The figures generally declined in succeeding years, reaching 1,900 in 2025. As of June 6, authorities had recorded 858 violations.

City health officials noted that the figures reflect enforcement activity and ordinance violations, not smoking prevalence itself.

Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the award validated years of effort by city officials, health workers, barangays, civil society groups, and community enforcers.

“Napakalaki ng problema natin (We have a big problem) when it comes to smoking – not only tobacco but vape as well,” Magalong said earlier. “This is now a very ambitious project of the city.”

Beyond fines and apprehensions

WHO officials said Baguio’s recognition was based not only on enforcement but also on the city government’s sustained public health approach.

In its nomination submitted through the Department of Health-Cordillera, the city government reported conducting more than 300 education and advocacy activities between 2018 and 2025, inspecting more than 5,000 establishments, and issuing more than 2,000 citations against violators.

The nomination cited Baguio’s efforts to challenge what it described as the “deceptive appeal” of tobacco and nicotine products through youth engagement, community participation, smoking cessation services, and visible enforcement.

Since 2018, the local government has enforced a comprehensive ban on smoking and vaping in public places, workplaces, schools, government facilities, parks, transport terminals, markets, hospitals, sidewalks, and other areas accessible to the public. 

The ordinance also prohibits a range of tobacco-related activities, including selling tobacco products to minors, selling cigarettes by the stick, selling near schools and health facilities, and openly displaying tobacco products in stores.

One feature frequently highlighted by public health advocates is the program’s funding model.

According to HealthJustice, fines collected from violators are reinvested in tobacco control initiatives, including enforcement operations, public education campaigns, advocacy programs, and smoking cessation services.

The city government has institutionalized activities, including Smoke-Free Baguio trainings, establishment inspections, media briefings, workplace campaigns, youth education programs, and environmental drives such as the “Contain That Butt” cigarette waste collection campaign.

Vaping remains a concern

Data submitted with Baguio’s WHO nomination showed smoking prevalence in the city declined from 35.3% in 2018 to 8.9% in 2025.

Among young people, however, health officials continue to monitor the growing popularity of alternative nicotine products.

A 2023 Global Youth Tobacco Survey conducted among students aged 13 to 15 in Baguio found that 5.29% were current cigarette smokers, while 12.53% reported current use of e-cigarettes or vapes.

The survey also found that 25.7% of students were exposed to tobacco smoke at home and 37.58% were exposed in places outside the home.

At the same time, seven in 10 young smokers reported attempting to quit smoking during the previous year.

Trinidad said the city must now guard against emerging nicotine products, including nicotine pouches, which deliver nicotine through small packets placed between the lip and gum. While nicotine pouches do not contain tobacco, they can still cause nicotine dependence and are gaining popularity in some markets.

“Baguio just needs to continue enforcing,” Trinidad said.

He said sustained funding, smoking cessation services, operational support for enforcement teams, and continuous public education, particularly among the youth, will be critical to preserving the city’s gains.

“This is not a one-time, big-time advocacy campaign,” he said. “The youth have to be continuously educated on the dangers of smoking and vaping.”

The award was not Baguio’s first international tobacco control recognition. In 2025, the city received a Bloomberg Philanthropies Award for Global Tobacco Control.

For Trinidad, however, the latest citation carries a broader lesson.

Many local governments have smoke-free ordinances, he said. What made Baguio stand out was its ability to enforce the rules consistently enough that residents began accepting them as part of everyday life.

“I saw the culture of acceptability among the constituents,” he said. “Baguio just needs to continue.” – Rappler.com