Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano are set to address controversies surrounding the Philippines receiving its fifth “Dirty Ashtray” award last February at the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) 10th Conference of Parties (COP10).
The sibling senators will convene the second Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on April 24, 2024. In the session, they will consider the number of Filipino delegates present at the conference and touch on other concerns regarding tobacco control and e-cigarette use.
In the initial hearing on February 21, 2024, Senator Alan said the problem was that the country was being presented as anti-tobacco but the delegation’s actions were “pro-tobacco.”
He emphasized the need for a resolute position on tobacco regulation, saying it was the lopsided approach of the delegates to use tobacco farmers as an excuse to be tolerant in terms of restricting the tobacco industry.
“Let’s not say we are protecting the tobacco farmers here. Only P1 billion goes to the farmers but P159 billion goes to the tobacco capitalists,” he said.
“We can help the farmers to plant something else. Marami pong technology ang Thailand, Vietnam, Israel. We have the money to support the farmers,” he added.
Echoing these concerns, Senator Pia, the first woman to chair the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee, also called for a reconsideration of the nation’s position on tobacco control.
“We do not want to harm the country’s reputation. We’ve received it (Dirty Ashtray Award) for five years already,” she said.
At the first hearing last February, Senator Pia addressed the increasing use of e-cigarettes among Filipinos, especially the youth, and noted that despite being promoted as smoking cessation aids, their attractive packaging and diverse flavors obscure their undisclosed nicotine levels.
“There were a lot of reported cases… they are known as EVALI cases. Ito yung e-cigarettes or vaping use associated lung injury. Nakakamatay at nakakasira ng buhay ng mga tao, including ang mga kabataan natin,” she said, referring to Electronic Cigarette or Vape-Associated Lung Injury.
Addressing the Department of Health representatives at the hearing, Senator Pia pointed out how the marketing of such products violated Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO FCTC. These articles pertain to testing, measuring, and disclosing the contents of tobacco products to the public.
“Do we have the political will to test these products, to ensure that the emissions and the contents of these products would be made known to the public?” she asked.
The sibling senators have been advocating against smoking and vaping due to their scientifically proven side effects and risks.
Beyond the controversy surrounding the “Dirty Ashtray” award, Wednesday’s hearing will tackle the rising trend of e-cigarette use among youth and examine the government’s tobacco control efforts as well as the policies and initiatives of the government aimed at curbing the use of e-cigarettes.
