Baguio bags Bloomberg award for tobacco control

Baguio City has received a 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Award for Global Tobacco Control for its successful initiatives in monitoring tobacco use and implementing related policies.

The city was honored for its community-based surveillance, partnerships with medical institutions, and its implementation of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) and Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS).

Baguio's efforts align with the World Health Organization's MPOWER strategy, specifically focusing on monitoring tobacco use and protecting citizens from secondhand smoke through its strict enforcement of the 2017 Smoke-Free Ordinance.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong accepted the award at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin, Ireland, highlighting the city's dedication to clean air initiatives.

Other countries recognized with similar awards include Ukraine, India, Mauritius, Mexico, and Montenegro for their respective tobacco control achievements.