COTABATO CITY (PNA) – Hundreds of officials, employees, and visitors attended the formal launching of the "No Smoking Campaign of Cotabato City" held at the People's Palace here.

The event was a result of months of preparation by the Office on Health Services after the Sangguniang Pan-glunsod passed an ordinance regulating smoking in the city.

Estella Ilagan, Department of Health 12 anti-smoking program nurse coordinator, has commended the city government for the efforts being exerted for the implementation of the program.

She has also acknowledged all other cities and municipalities in Region 12 who are actively supporting this campaign.

Ilagan said the drive against smoking must be intensified given the fact that Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in the region and smoke-related diseases are on top of the leading causes of death in the country.

Cotabato City Mayor Japal J. Guiani, Jr. said that despite the continuous warnings of the Department of Health, millions of people were still into this vice.

In Cotabato City, the problem is the regulation of smoking. With the launching of the No Smoking Cam-paign, the Mayor hopes that smoking would be controlled.