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Tag: Philippines

  • Philippines Simultaneously Destroys $22.8M in Illicit Vapes

    Philippines Simultaneously Destroys $22.8M in Illicit Vapes

    Today (December 15), the Philippines Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) simultaneously destroyed 448,494 illicit vape products nationwide, involving an estimated PHP1.34 billion ($22.8 million) in unpaid taxes and penalties. The destruction formed part of a three-day anti-illicit trade campaign and was publicly live-streamed to demonstrate transparency and enforcement.

    BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza said the action sends a clear message that the government will not tolerate the sale of vape products without proper excise tax stamps. He stressed that excise taxes on vape and other “sin products” are meant both to discourage consumption and to fund government healthcare programs.

    Mendoza said enforcement will intensify to remove unstamped products from the market and prevent risks to consumers.

  • Philippines Seeks Feedback on Vape Advertising Permits

    Philippines Seeks Feedback on Vape Advertising Permits

    The Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is inviting stakeholders and the public to comment on a draft policy introducing a mandatory permitting system for advertising and sales promotion of vape products, including devices and novel tobacco products. The proposed Department Administrative Order (DAO) requires advertisers to obtain either an Advertisement Permit or Sales Promotion Permit from the Office for the Special Mandate on Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products before any campaign can be released.

    Under the draft DAO, campaigns must be filed at least 30 days in advance, may run for up to one year (extendable by six months), and require submission of business registration documents, campaign materials, and proof that retail stores are not within 100 meters of schools or areas frequented by minors. Fees vary by permit type, geography, and number of prizes, and amendments must be reported 14 days before release.

    The policy also introduces mandatory age-gating for online promotions to restrict access to users aged 18 and above.

  • Philippines Pushing for Vape Ban

    Philippines Pushing for Vape Ban

    The Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) called for a nationwide ban on vape products, warning that advertisements portraying vaping as a safer alternative to cigarettes are misleading. In a news release on November 22, the DOH stressed that both vapor and devices contain harmful chemicals linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and lung illnesses. The agency also raised concerns about flavored varieties and colorful packaging that appeal to minors. Citing the 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey, the DOH reported that seven out of 10 Filipino youths aged 13 to 15 use vape products, and noted the country’s first recorded death from two years of vape use in the past year.

    The DOH said the government is strengthening its engagement with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to address the issue. It added that the Health Promotion Bureau continues to raise awareness in communities, schools, and workplaces about the dangers of vaping and smoking.

  • Philippines Defends Tobacco-Growers at COP11

    Philippines Defends Tobacco-Growers at COP11

    The Philippine delegation at COP11 earned praise from agricultural and civil society groups for emphasizing the country’s sovereign right to evaluate proposed global measures according to national priorities and capacities. Ambassador Carlos Sorreta, head of the delegation, highlighted the need for “socially and economically responsible” transitions that protect communities dependent on tobacco cultivation, noting that the crop continues to support livelihoods across nearly 20 provinces.

    Sorreta underscored that FCTC guidance is non-binding and should complement existing national efforts rather than impose restrictions. Local organizations, including the Northern Luzon Alliance, applauded this stance, warning that measures such as ending government support, imposing quotas, or phasing out tobacco sales would be “unrealistic, overly punitive and incompatible with the country’s agricultural and economic realities,” potentially threatening rural livelihoods and linked industries.

    The Federation of Free Farmers echoed these concerns, noting tobacco’s critical role in sustaining rural communities. It commended the delegation for prioritizing farmers’ welfare, arguing that the approach reflects a clear understanding of on-the-ground realities and protects not only the economic stability of tobacco-growing regions but also the dignity and future of the families who rely on this crop.

  • Philippines: Tobacco Farmers Warn of Livelihoods Threatened by WHO 

    Philippines: Tobacco Farmers Warn of Livelihoods Threatened by WHO 

    Filipino tobacco farmers are voicing strong concern ahead of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) COP11, warning that proposed measures under Agenda Item 4.1 could devastate rural livelihoods and the wider tobacco economy. The Philippine Tobacco Growers Association (PTGA), representing 50,000 farmers, said the recommendations — including ending government support for tobacco cultivation, restricting profits, and imposing manufacturing and import quotas — could “destroy farms and entire communities.” The sector supports more than 2.1 million workers, according to the National Tobacco Administration.

    PTGA President Saturnino Distor urged COP delegates to balance public health goals with economic realities, highlighting the role of the Sustainable Tobacco Enhancement Program (STEP) in promoting sustainable cultivation and linking local production to the demand for reduced-risk alternatives such as vapes and e-cigarettes.

    Farmers also cited challenges from illicit trade and declining local demand, with 80% of Philippine tobacco output now exported. Distor called on policymakers to reject prohibitionist measures and instead pursue “practical, harm-reduction-based solutions,” noting the successes seen in the UK, Japan, and Sweden through regulated smoke-free products.

  • Weak Enforcement, Not High Taxes, Lead to Illicit Trade: Philippine Study

    Weak Enforcement, Not High Taxes, Lead to Illicit Trade: Philippine Study

    The Action for Economic Reforms (AER) and Philippine government officials oppose bills seeking to cut tobacco excise taxes, warning the move could increase smoking rates and reduce government revenues without addressing illicit trade. A joint study by AER and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health argues that high tobacco taxes do not drive illicit trade, but it is instead a product of weak enforcement and local governance.

    AER projects up to two million new smokers by 2035 and P167 billion ($2.8 billion) in lost revenue if taxes are lowered. Officials, including Senator Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel and BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui, stressed that stronger enforcement, a nationwide licensing system, and an upgraded track-and-trace program are key to curbing illicit tobacco sales and protecting public health.

  • CAPHRA Calls on Philippines to Champion Consumers at COP11 

    CAPHRA Calls on Philippines to Champion Consumers at COP11 

    The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) appealed to the Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) to represent Filipino consumers at the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), scheduled to begin November 17 in Geneva. In a letter to Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa, CAPHRA said consumers have been excluded from FCTC discussions for 20 years. Philippine representative Clarisse Virgino stressed that millions of Filipinos have shifted from smoking to regulated alternatives such as vapes and heated tobacco, demonstrating that harm reduction works.

    CAPHRA pointed to the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act, enacted in 2022, as a model for risk-proportionate, science-based regulation. The group urged the DOH to recognize harm reduction as a public health pillar, share Filipino consumers’ success stories with COP11 delegates, and advocate for greater consumer and scientific participation in global tobacco policy.

    Virgino said the Philippines could show regional leadership by promoting inclusive, evidence-based policies as several Asia-Pacific nations, including Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, tighten vaping regulations.

  • Philippines Busts Illegal Cigarette Factory, Rescues 11 Workers

    Philippines Busts Illegal Cigarette Factory, Rescues 11 Workers

    Authorities in the Philippines raided an alleged illegal cigarette factory in Trece Martires City, arresting two individuals and “rescuing” 11 workers, including a 17-year-old, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said. The operation targeted a facility operating out of a supposed leisure park. The suspects allegedly recruited workers from poor communities in the Visayas and Mindanao to produce counterfeit cigarettes under “questionable working conditions.”

    The rescued workers are reportedly being investigated for labor law violations, while the arrested individuals were taken to the police station for documentation. The PNP emphasized its commitment to dismantling trafficking networks and ensuring safe, dignified employment, in line with broader government efforts.

  • Philippine Tobacco Growers Call for Stronger Action Against Smuggling

    Philippine Tobacco Growers Call for Stronger Action Against Smuggling

    The Philippine Tobacco Growers Association (PTGA) urged its government to step up enforcement against illegal cigarette trade, warning that smuggling is siphoning income from farmers and threatening one of the country’s key agricultural sectors. PTGA President Saturnino Distor said each illegal product sold in the market represents lost revenue for hardworking Filipino tobacco farmers, totaling P1 billion ($17 million)—or P17,000 ($289) for each of the organization’s 59,000 members.

    Industry data indicates illegal cigarettes sell for as low as P2 ($0.03) per stick, compared to P7 ($0.12) for legal products, fueling black-market growth and increasing accessibility to minors. This year, around 11.8 billion sticks of illegal cigarettes are expected to be sold in the Philippines, representing roughly 9.4 million kilos of tobacco that could have been sourced from local farms. At an average farmgate price of P104.09 ($1.77) per kilo, farmers have already lost P978.4 million ($16.6 million) in income.

    Distor also highlighted the broader impact on the industry, affecting transport workers, factory employees, and small retailers, while the government loses an estimated P40 billion ($680 million) in excise tax revenue annually. Despite the 2024 Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law, enforcement remains weak. “Farmers are not asking for special treatment,” Distor said. “We are asking for protection, for fairness, and for a chance to keep farming and feeding our families.”

  • Philippine Harm Reduction Advocates Push for Smoke-Free Future

    Philippine Harm Reduction Advocates Push for Smoke-Free Future

    Advocates of tobacco harm reduction in the Philippines signed a joint manifesto Wednesday (October 15) calling for multi-sectoral collaboration and greater access to science-based alternatives to help reduce smoking-related harm. The signing, held in Mandaluyong City, brought together representatives from groups including the Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines (NCUP), Smokefree Conversations PH, Quit for Good, and the Philippine E-Cigarette Industry Association.

    The manifesto urged policymakers to empower adult smokers with better choices rather than continuing to rely solely on tobacco products, describing harm reduction as a “lifeline” for those unable to quit. It also called for the defense of the country’s Vape Law (RA 11900) that regulates vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products as a legitimate public health measure.

    Advocates said adult smoking rates rose to 23.3% in 2023, underscoring the need for alternatives. NCUP founder Anton Israel emphasized the importance of educating the public about the difference between traditional tobacco and vaping products, adding that while vaping is not risk-free, it can be a less harmful step toward quitting smoking.