Study: 2 of 5 Pinoy teens are smokers

MANILA, Philippines – Two out of five in teenage Filipinos in the country are smokers, according to the National Youth Commission (NYC) study.

The NYC study showed that in 2011, there is a significant increase in Filipinos aged 13 to 15 years who are smoking, translating to over 2 million, or 38. 2 percent, increase compared to previous years.

Based on the study, in 2007, there were a total of 5.72 million teenage Filipinos who were smoking, 2.92 million of whom were teenage boys while 2.80 million were girls.

NYC chairman Leon Flores III said the Commission is now pushing for the passage of House bill 5727 or the Restructuring Excise Tax on Alcohol and Tobacco to significantly increase the excise tax on tobacco products as a deterrent to keep the minors from buying cigarettes.

""Pag mahal ang presyo sigarilyo, mas kakaunti ang bibili dito," Flores told a press briefing this morning in Quezon City.

For his part, NYC Assistant Secretary Perci Cendana said increasing the price of tobacco products will hinder the youth from buying them.

"We have the cheapest priced cigarettes in the Southeast Asian region that makes them accessible even to teenagers. By increasing the prices of tobacco products, teenagers would have limited access to them," Cendana said.

He also said the Philippines is listed number 9 in the countries that have prevalence of smokers.

"We are in the top 10 of nations with people who smoke that's why we are pushing for the bill to be passed," Cendana said, noting that there has been a very minimal increase in tax in tobacco products in 2005 and 2007. (Dennis Carcamo)