HERMOSA, Bataan — This municipality on Wednesday launched the Tobacco Free Generation (TFG) movement where the youth born from year 2000 pledged “to go away from smoking” and other tobacco activities.
Hermosa Mayor Jopet Inton and Dr. Koong Heng Nung, Singaporean founder of TFG led in signing the commitment wall and in the swearing-in of the youth.
With some students from Singapore and the youth from various towns in Bataan, Inton and Koong joined in dancing the zumba.
The mayor said that they started the no-smoking campaign in Hermosa in 2016.
“We are happy that after one year we were able to get the Red Orchid award from the Department of Health,” he said.
“We will cooperate with TFG and work on TFG para maging tobacco free ang next generation,” Inton added.
Koong said TFG that he founded in 2015 in Singapore is a social movement to prevent young people from smoking by “teaching them well enough such that they understand the reasons behind stopping smoking.”
“I think young people appreciate that they do not follow the not-so-good habits of the older generation,” he added.
He noted that the Philippines through Bataan was the first country to join the TFG movement.
“You should be proud that Bataan is the first place in the world to accept this concept,” Koong said.
The City of Balanga was the first to implement the no-smoking campaign and adopted TFG in Bataan.
It was followed by the towns of Dinalupihan, Samal, Orani, Samal among some other municipalities.
“Those who were born in 2000 pledge na hindi maninigarilyo o magbebenta o susubok sa paggamit ng tobacco. Ang lahat naman ng ipinanganak bago year 2000 ay inaasahan na susuporta sa new generation,” Bea Camille Santos, 18, said.
The student from Balanga City said that the new generation should not discriminate smokers but rather show care for them in the hope that they will stop from smoking.
