PROGRAMS & SERVICES

OUR CURRENT PROGRAM & SERVICES

Smoke-Free Program

A project by Transcending Institutions and Communities, Inc. (TICI) with a grant from Vital Strategies on behalf of Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Launched in 2020 in Benguet, the Smoke-Free Program empowers communities and local governments to institutionalize tobacco control policies, strengthen enforcement mechanisms, build partnership, raise public awareness on the harms of smoking, vaping, and “momma” (betel quid) and encourage positive health behaviors.

What began as Smoke-Free Benguet has since expanded across the Cordillera and Western Visayas, supporting a growing network of smoke-free champions and local task forces.

To institutionalize and strengthen local tobacco control initiatives through policy development, capacity building, enforcement, partnership and social and behavior change communication (SBCC)—fostering empowered, smoke-free communities across the Cordillera and Western Visayas.

The Truth

Tobacco use remains a leading cause of preventable death worldwide, claiming over 8 million lives of tobacco users annually (World Health organization).

Health Risks:

Tobacco contains nicotine, a highly addictive substance.
Smoking causes heart disease, lung disease, stroke, and cancer (over 20 types).
Second-hand smoke kills 1.2 million non-smokers yearly.
65,000 children die annually from illnesses related to second-hand smoke.
Smoking while pregnant can harm babies, leading to low birth weight and serious health issues.
Heated tobacco products (HTPs) and e-cigarettes also contain harmful substances and are not safe alternatives.

Economic Burden:

Tobacco-related health expenses and productivity losses cost the world $1.4 trillion per year.
An estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide use tobacco products, 80% of whom are in low- and middle-income countries.
40% of this economic loss happens in developing countries, where tobacco companies aggressively market their products.
Tobacco addiction keeps families in poverty, diverting money from essential needs like food and healthcare.

Philippines Context:

In the Philippines, one in five adults (GATS 2021) still use tobacco, contributing to massive health and economic losses.
An average of PhP 1,273.9 burned monthly by smokers.
In May 2022, the Lung Center of the Philippines reported that: 321 Filipinos die daily from tobacco-related diseases—13 lives lost every hour.

Through evidence-based advocacy and community action, the Smoke-Free Program helps local governments uphold their duty to protect the public from secondhand and thirdhand smoke, promote healthy environments, and realize smoke-free communities.

We work with local partners to build healthier, smoke-free communities. Our team helps strengthen local ordinances and supports communities through:

Policy Advocacy and Enforcement
Training and Capacity Development
Information and SBCC Campaign
Partnership and Community Mobilization.

Guided by national policies and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, we empower people and institutions to take action for better health.

POLICY ADVOCACY AND ENFORCEMENT

Together with our partners, we support the drafting, strengthening, and harmonizing of local ordinances—guided by national policies and the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

We also provide technical assistance to Smoke-Free Task Forces (SFTFs) in enforcing these ordinances, particularly on Tobacco Advertising, Promotion, and Sponsorship (TAPS). Through advocacy and on-the-ground support, we help ensure fair, consistent, and effective implementation of smoke-free laws across community, government offices, workplaces, and schools.