By Sunday Punch
Senator Pia Cayetano once again denounced the tobacco industry for prioritizing profits over public health, decrying recent attempts to weaken regulations on vaping and backtrack on sin taxes.
In a recent statement released on January 9, 2024, the senator reiterated and criticized the industry’s persistent efforts to delay and derail progress in safeguarding the well-being of Filipinos.
“It never fails to amaze me how the tobacco industry keeps finding ways to prioritize profit over public health,” she said.
“After weakening regulations on vaping, now they want to backtrack on sin taxes? It’s the same playbook — delay, distract, and derail progress,” she added.
A staunch advocate for stringent tobacco control measures, Cayetano consistently pushed for higher sin taxes and stronger regulations on tobacco and vape products to discourage usage, especially among the youth.
Last year, during the first public hearing as the first woman to chair the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Cayetano also slammed the tobacco industry in light of the Philippines being given a “Dirty Ashtray” award by international health advocates for the fifth time.
The award is a well-known publicly recognized award to call out those influenced by lobbying from the tobacco industry.
“Why would we want our Philippine delegation associated with a Dirty Ashtray award? Why would we want to be known as succumbing to the lobby of the tobacco group?” she said at the time.
The senator pointed to a recent trend where the industry lobbies for policies that dilute the effectiveness of sin taxes and weaken regulations on alternative nicotine products.
She warned that such moves not only endanger public health but also threaten the government’s ability to fund critical social services through sin tax revenues.
“Let me be clear: public health is not negotiable,” she said.
“We do not allow tobacco lobbies to dictate upon us,” she added.
With the tobacco industry’s relentless push to weaken regulations and undermine public health policies, Cayetano reiterated the importance of staying vigilant and proactive.
“Our priority remains the same — to protect and uphold the health of all Filipinos, especially the youth who are being targeted by tobacco companies,” she said.