28/04/2026
NEWS UPDATE || MPOWERing Our Buguias Community
On April 24, 2026, the BSU-Buguias Campus hosted a decisive shift toward a to***co-free community. Organized and facilitated by Transcend - TICI and Benguet State University (BSU), this MPOWER Training brought together 30 leaders from the Buguias LGU-RHU, DepEd, and BSU to move from awareness to technical action.
The goal is to transform shared spaces into nicotine-free zones to prevent the onset of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Participants focused on:
1. Enforcing Clean Air: Understanding strict no-smoking and no-vaping policies in all public workplaces, schools, and spaces frequented by minors.
2. Exposing Tactics: Recognizing to***co industry strategies that target the youth.
3. Offering Support: Learning the "Brief To***co Intervention" (5As) to help community members successfully quit to***co use.
This initiative serves as the operational foundation for Project MOMMA (Motivation to quit, Oral-care management, and health education: the Interplay of Culture towards "Momma" and To***co Addiction and Dependence Prevention Among Adolescents in Benguet Schools). Under the leadership of Dr. Jude L. Tayaben, Project Team Leader and our key partnership coordinator, we are operationalizing the approach to local health. By addressing the specific intersection of cultural traditions and to***co dependence, this collaboration ensures that policy is translated into sustainable, life-saving practices across Benguet schools.
This effort proves that policy is only as strong as the people who uphold it. By unifying the LGU, educators, and health professionals, we ensure that the next generation grows up in a healthy, smoke-free environment. We are stronger together.
✍️ N. Akilith
📸 R. Bakidol
***coControl
