MANILA, Philippines — Health advocates on Monday criticized the Philippine delegation to a global convention on tobacco control for allegedly “promoting” the agenda of the tobacco industry.
The Philippine delegation was given another “Dirty Ashtray” award for statements inclined to favor the tobacco industry during the recent 10th Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) held in Panama.
Observers present at COP10 reported that only “a fourth” of the Philippine contingent were pro-health. They claimed the remaining members often questioned experts and caused a delay in the official proceedings.
“That the Philippine delegation once again parrotted the narratives of the tobacco industry and derailed what should have been a public health event should tell us all we need to know. Big business prevailed over public health today,” public health reform advocate Tony Leachon said.
“Our representatives promoted viewpoints and changes in key decisions at the COP which would weaken regulations for harmful tobacco and nicotine products, and the calls of civil society fell on deaf ears,” he added.
Ahead of the conference, former senior health and education officials urged the delegation to advocate for policies preventing tobacco uptake, including e-cigarettes, "to protect present and future generations from the devastating harms of tobacco use and nicotine addiction."
This was not the first time that the Philippine delegation to the tobacco control talks had been criticized. They received similar "Dirty Ashtray" awards in 2010 and 2021.
Philippine delegation
The Philippines sent a 30-person delegation to COP10, the largest from any government.
Led by Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevara, the Philippine contingent was composed of officials from the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Local Government, Trade and Industry, Agriculture, Education and Health. Rep. Rodante Marcoleta (SAGIP Party-list) also attended the global convention.
At the Panama talks, the Philippines highlighted a “tailored” and “multi-sectoral approach” in implementing FCTC—a treaty that requires countries to reduce tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke.
The Philippines signed the treaty in September 2003 and ratified it in June 2005.
The government delegation also noted the decrease in tobacco use in 2021 to 19.5% of Filipino adults from 23.8% in 2015.
Observers, however, pointed out that the government did not mention the rise of e-cigarette use among young people. A 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey revealed that 14%, or one in every seven Filipino youth aged 13 to 15, were already using e-cigarettes.
“Drops in smoking prevalence are a result of sin tax law reforms. To frame this as a victory of the Vape Law is yet another layer of disinformation,” said Riz Gonzalez, chair of the Philippine Pediatric Society Tobacco and Nicotine Control Advocacy Group.
“These displays before the international community are a painful reminder that our children's health is being traded for economic gain,” she added.
Implementing tobacco control
Parties to the FCTC agreed to protect the environment and human health from tobacco waste, and strengthen guidelines on cross-border tobacco advertising and the depiction of tobacco in media, the Department of Health said in a release Sunday.
Health Undersecretary Lilibeth David said the agency acknowledges the “helpful guidance” of Guevara in leading the Philippine delegation “to strong positions on tobacco control given the requirements of our national law.”
“We look forward to working with our colleagues from the whole of our government on implementing our international commitments to tobacco control back home. The DOH will lead tobacco control because every life is important,” David, who also serves as the agency’s chief of staff, said.