By Cyrus A. Natividad

Under the leadership of Garingalao, the ICAST has been recognized all throughout the ASEAN region.

As Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Task Force (ICAST) Chief, CPU alumnus Iñigo D, Garingalao, achieved not only awards for his excellent performance, but also the admiration of the government and the people. Garingalao is a Dangal ng Bayan National Finalist in 2018. This was a validation conducted by the Civil Service Commission, of which a government employee who has done an exemplary action, exemplifies the tenets of R.A. 6713 – granting incentives and rewards for exemplary service. The validation was so intensive that even his impact, and lifestyle were probed.

In 2019, Garingalao was given the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Regional Award for his fruitful advocacy on health. His programs and activities gave Iloilo City three times, the Red Orchid Award of the Department of Health in 2012, 2013 and 2014 – a TIME National Winner in the Search for Smoke-free environments, and many other related awards.

In an interview on CPU TV public affairs program Looking Forward, Garingalao talked about the effects of smoking and the reason why he accepted the city government’s post offered to him.  “We have to make a drive to protect the public from the hazardous effects of smoking in Iloilo City,” he said.

Garingalao admitted that he was a cigarette smoker during his time as a salesman. His father, Police Colonel Joel Garingalao was then the City Police Director and a strict enforcer of the anti-smoking ordinance of the city. “My father was a big influence in my decision to quit smoking,” Garingalao said.

Along with his belief in sustaining the city’s anti-smoking campaign, he also has a Christian Mission to “uplift God’s people; to continue on the advocacy to save lives, and spiritually to save souls.” Garingalao has been a member of the Christian Outreach Work and Ministry of the Jaro Evangelical Church. He is “on-call” for lectures and forums on anti-smoking, in coordination with the Department of Health.

Garingalao received his Diploma in Christian Ministry from Central Philippine University in 2011. He finished his Bachelor of Science degree from CPU in 1984 and also received his Diploma in Solid Waste Management in 2011 from CPU. He finished his Master of Science in Public Management in 2017 from WVSU.