Baguio City Receives 2026 ASEAN Smoke-Free Gold Award

Baguio City has earned regional recognition after receiving the Gold Award at the second ASEAN Smoke-Free Awards held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on September 10, 2026.

The award was presented during the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting hosted and chaired by Malaysia’s Ministry of Health.

According to the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance, Baguio City received the honor following a rigorous screening process.

Recognizing smoke-free communities

The ASEAN Smoke-Free Awards recognize the achievements of local and sub-national governments in implementing smoke-free policies and protecting public health.

The initiative is led by the Government of Lao PDR under ASEAN Health Cluster 1, in cooperation with SEATCA and the ASEAN Secretariat.

The awards support the goals of the ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda and the 2017 ASEAN Declaration on Culture of Prevention.

Other awardees across Southeast Asia

George Town in Penang, Malaysia, received the Silver Award.

Five local governments from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand received Bronze Awards. Singapore was also given a Special Recognition certificate for its consistent enforcement of smoke-free measures.

Public health placed first

SEATCA Executive Director Dr. Ulysses Dorotheo said the awardees demonstrate that strict and firmly enforced smoke-free policies are both achievable and necessary in addressing the harmful effects of tobacco use.

He added that local governments across Southeast Asia can help make smoke-free environments the regional standard by protecting public health and resisting challenges from the tobacco industry.

The Ministry of Health of Lao PDR said the second edition of the awards reflects ASEAN member states’ shared commitment to turning regional health goals into concrete protections for their communities.

Baguio City’s Gold Award places the city among the recognized leaders in Southeast Asia for local smoke-free policy implementation and enforcement.

Source: South East Asia Tobacco Control Alliance

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