SAN FERNANDO CITY, LA UNION — SIFCare reaffirmed its commitment to community wellness by actively participating in the intensive 3-Day MPOWER and Enforcement Training for Local Implementers of Ordinances on Smoke and Vape-Free Environments, held from May 5–7, 2026, at the J&V Hotel and Resort.

As a new partner of Smoke-Free La Union, SIFCare joined a diverse group of stakeholders in this initiative, made possible through the collaborative efforts of the lead NGO, Partnering for Health, Agriculture, Nation-Building and Socio-Economic Upliftment, Inc. (PNBI), and the Provincial Health Office of La Union.

Represented by Nimai Tamayo and Dixie Palmos, SIFCare engaged in comprehensive sessions centered on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) MPOWER strategy. This global standard provides a technical framework for implementing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) at a high capacity.

The training focused on the six evidence-based pillars of MPOWER:
Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies.
Protect people from tobacco smoke.
Offer help to quit tobacco use.
Warn about the dangers of tobacco.
Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.
Raise taxes on tobacco.

For SIFCare, whose mission is to promote holistic community wellness, achieving the “highest possible standard of health” begins with a tobacco-free environment.

“Our participation in this training is more than just a learning opportunity, it is a commitment to action,” Tamayo and Palmos shared. “Protecting our youth and communities from industry interference and the health risks of tobacco is a priority we are eager to integrate into our grassroots programs.”