What’s up @ An internal information service for DTI employees
Smoke-free and healthy DTI, environmental footprinting echo sessions held To concretize the government’s initiative on anti-smoking, Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) General Administrative Services (GAS) and Human Resource Development and Personnel Services (HRDPS) hosted a seminar entitled “Smokefree and healthy DTI” last 23 April 2012 at the Board of Investments (BOI) Building. Spearheaded by GAS Director Joel R. Cruz and GAS-General Services Division Chief Noel V. Salumbides with HRDPS Officer-In-Charge (OIC) Janet N. Safranca, the seminar oriented DTI employees on the Tobacco Regulation Act (R.A. No. 9211 and on the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Memorandum Circular No. 17. (left) Atty. Jacky T. Sarita from the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) Office for Legal Affairs orients the audience on Memorandum Circular No. 17 or the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC); (right) Alliance-Philippines (FCAP) President Encarnita C. Blanco-Limpin, M.D. discusses the Tobacco Regulation Act and smoking’s negative and fatal effects.
Coming from the public health viewpoint, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Alliance-Philippines (FCAP) President Encarnita C. BlancoLimpin, M. D. said “Tobacco is the single cause of death not only in the country, but also worldwide,” adding that “those who are exposed to second-hand smoke also face serious and fatal health illnesses.” Limpin, who oriented the group on the Tobacco Regulation Act, an act regulating the packaging, use, sale, distribution and advertisement of tobacco products, said the “rationale [of the act] is to protect non-smokers from exposure to second-hand smoke and therefore protect them from non-communicable diseases.” She added that the DTI’s role as part of the inter-agency committee on tobacco is very important as it regulates the said industry. Internally, she said that the DTI should also come up with a program to help employees quit smoking. Do you have an inspiring story to share with the DTI family? Is there a DTI staff or experience you want to brag about? Please tell us by e-mail to publications@dti.gov.ph.
No. 10 ▪ 11 May 2012
Atty. Jacky T. Sarita from the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) Office for Legal Affairs (OLA), on the other hand, oriented the group on the CSC Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 17, which adapted the Tobacco R.A. and the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to promulgate a 100-% smoke-free policy and prohibit smoking in all government premises, buildings, and grounds, except for open spaces designated as smoking areas. MC No. 17, he clarified, “is not an anti-smoker policy…it is to protect the wellness of the non-smokers.” Following the speakers’ talk, Safranca said HRDPS, in partnership with GAS, will come up with a cessation program for a smoke-free DTI. Meanwhile, earlier last month, the HRDPS also conducted an Environmental Footprinting Echo Session at the Trade and Industry Conference Room, which talked about the quality of life and environment in growing industries and developing countries.
Engr. Mario Gaudiano (standing) of DTI-Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) imparts to DTI employees what he learned from the Environmental Footprinting Seminar he attended at Hanoi, Viet Nam last year.
The speaker, Engr. Mario Gaudiano of DTI-Bureau of Product Standards (BPS), emphasized the importance of raising awareness and understanding among authorities, industry, and academe in the Asia Pacific Region about the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) policies on the best footprinting practices for sustainable development.
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