‘Tobacco industry could intervene in policy creation’

The tobacco industry use “strategies” to “delay the passage of policies or rush them to avoid proper deliberation,” a health advocacy group says.

MANILA – A health advocacy group claimed that the tobacco industry could delay the creation of policies on tobacco control.

In the Tobacco Industry Interference Index Philippine Report 2018 it released on Friday, the Health Justice Philippines revealed how tobacco companies may participate and exert influence in public health policy development and implementation.

The Philippines is a signatory to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and thus must have policies on tobacco control, said the group, which has legal expertise in tobacco control and public health promotion.

“But there are attempts or strategies that the tobacco industry use to delay the passage of policies or rush them to avoid proper deliberation,” Managing Director Jak Sarita said.

Through such activities, “we could measure the kind and level of interference by the tobacco industries, which affect the achievement of the objectives of policies to protect public health,” said Sarita.

President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order 26 on the establishment of smoke-free environments in public and enclosed spaces.

But Health Justice Philippines said in its report that stricter policies are still needed, including higher taxes on tobacco, ban on tobacco advertisements and removal of the tobacco industry in policy implementation.

The report recommended that the government practice proper reporting and transparency in providing information about its meetings and interactions with the tobacco industry.

At the same time, it recognized the government’s success in prohibiting government agencies from receiving donations from the tobacco industry and making unnecessary interactions with it.

But this action gives the tobacco industry the opportunity to use the private sector to conduct and publicize its corporate social responsibility activities, said Health Justice Philippines.

“[The] strong political will of local government unit officials is needed, like Davao. Davao is really the trailblazer … it has set the standard from which all other LGUs will eventually measure as to what is the full protection of a smoke-free environment in terms of policy and enforcement,” he said.

Senate bills have been drafted to raise excise taxes on tobacco products – 1599 by Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao and 1605 by Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito. Both bills aim to use the tobacco tax to fund the Universal Health Care Program. (PNA)

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