Clean Air Month - Calendar of Events

November 2009 is Clean Air Month in the Philippines. A number of activities are happening as part of the overall Clean Air 10 celebrations.

22 October   
Workshop on Clean Air for Philippine Cities

6 November   
Seminar on Cleaning the Air for LGUs of Metro Manila

12 November    
Forum on Greening the Transport Sector – with BEST Awards

12 November
Product launch of KNOxOUT, a new paint product from Boysen Philippines
 
13 November   
Roundtable Discussion on Improving Air Quality in the Philippines

16 November   
National Workshop on Clean Fuels and Vehicles

17 November   
Biofuels Forum

16 – 19 November   
Exhibition of Regional Finalists for National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools

19 November   
Awarding of Winners for the National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools

19 – 20 November   
Launching of Philippine Youth Environment Network (PhilYEN)
Theme: Kabataan Sama-Samang Naninindigan Para Sa Kalikasan

23 – 27 November   
East Asian Seas Congress 2009
Theme: Partnerships at Work – Local Implementation and Good Practices

25 – 26 November   
National Senior Educators’ Assembly 2009
Theme: The Environmental Awareness and Education Law (Republic Act 9512), and the Challenges for Building a Climate Change – Resilient Nation

More Local Government Units Adopting Smoke Free Policies

Rommel Ariola of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP) has just informed us that a number of new LGUs are adopting Smoke Free Policies through ordinances and other tobacco control initiatives.

"Right after our Clean Air 10 in June, DOH NCR formally launched its Smoke Free cities project under Bloomberg Grants which will benefit 7 cities in Metro Manila. In July we have seen the successive Smoke Free Ordinance launches of two municipalities, Amlan (Negros Oriental) and Talisayan (Misamis Oriental). Recently the Smoke Free Ordinance of Umingan (Pangasinan) has been approved by the Provincial Board and a few others are still in the works as far as preparing for their SF legislations. The Cavite Provincial Govt have likewise done so which shall take effect within the capitol compound and all its offices. The Civil Service Commission had intended to time the launch of its Memo Circular on Smoke Free policies for all govt agencies/offices supposedly during the Civil Service month (Sept) but will probably do so very soon.

"We are currently conducting workshops here in Tacloban to gain more LGUs from Leyte to adapt comprehensive tobacco control measures and help them with local legislation. We are committed to do this through our strategic partners in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao throughout the duration of our program and would be handing out awards on Best Practices in the near future, in partnership with WHO and the DOH."

Perhaps Smoke Free Ordinances is one of the things we can to celebrate in Clean Air Month.