Lawyer Benedict Nisperos of HealthJustice Philippines explains the urgent need to strengthen the country’s smoke-free laws, pointing out that while current legislation addresses some issues, implementation remains weak—particularly in areas critical to youth health and safety. Health and child rights advocates also stressed that while legislation exists—such as Republic Act 11900, or the Vape Law of 2022, which bans the sale and promotion of such products within 100 meters of schools—implementation remains a critical challenge. The Department of Education (DepEd), alongside groups such as the Child Rights Network (CRN), the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD), and HealthJustice Philippines, unveiled a unified front against what they described as deliberate efforts by tobacco and vape companies to hook a new generation into nicotine addiction.
VIDEO BY ALLEN LIMOS
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00:00Pero ano nga ba ang ginagawa ng gobyerno in protecting the public from second-hand and third-hand smoke?
00:05Yung second-hand, yung exposure sa isang nag-ninigarilyo.
00:08Yung third-hand smoke, yung exposure sa isang lugar kung saan may naninigarilyo.
00:13We are advocating for the passage po of the smoke-free bill na kung saan mas palawaking pa yung smoke-free environments.
00:24Isama po natin yung mga paaralan, tourism places, workplaces, at palawakin pa po yung pagbabawal sa indoor smoking at isama na rin po dyan yung indoor vaping.
00:37Isa po ito sa pinapangarap namin na mayipasa ngayong 20th Congress.
00:42Now, we also have the Vape Regulation Act or yung RA 11900, which for us, ay dapat na maiting ang pag-implement.
00:51Kasi maraming provision ito na magpoprotekta dun sa problema ng pagtaas ng vapors, lalong-lalo na sa mga kabataan.
00:58We heard na 1 out of 8 or 1 out of 7 of our youth aged 13 to 15 are vaping.
01:04And there are also evidences that say that half of our youth are exposed to vape products.
01:13So, lumalala yung problema.
01:15But the problem is maraming provision yung batas na hindi maayos yung pag-implement.
01:20Kasi naman, designed siya at sponsored siya ng tobacco industry at hinayaan nito ng ating kongreso at mga naglaps nga intolaw.
01:29So, kailangan po natin balikan ang RA 11900 at amyandahan yung provision ito.
01:35In the past two days, there was a call from the Department of Health to ban vape products in schools.
01:41Pero kung babalikan nyo po yung RA 11900, specifically to Section 15, there's an absolute prohibition in vaping, in schools, in centers of youth activities.
01:52At marami pang lugar na may absolute prohibition sa pag-ivave.
01:56Kanya naman, may provision na po sa batas na nababawa nito.
01:59So, inihikayat natin ang DEFET, nandito po yung kasama natin sa DEFET, at ang DOH na maiting na-implementa yung provision na ito,
02:08na absolutely prohibited po talaga ang pag-ivave sa mga eskolahan at mga centers of youth activities at marami pang iba under Section 15 or of RA 11900.
02:18We just need to inform the public. Kasama natin ang media sa pag-inform sa public.
02:23We just need to cascade yung pagbabawal sa batas at maging inform pa yung mga parents at yung mga teachers na sa kanilang mga anak, pinagbabawal po talaga ang paggamit ng rape.
02:48Kanyang mga teo na maiting.
03:02Kanyang mga teo na maite sa pag-ivave sa katana.
