IChange: Vote for a Smoke-Free Philippines Campaign visited Palawan in the midst of mid-term elections campaign and conducted a media briefing in Skylight Hotel, Puerto Princesa City last April 30, 2019.
It is initiated by the Philippine Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) alongside Action for Economic Reforms, Smoke-free Philippines and Roots of Health.
The campaign advocates that voters support the candidates who vow to advocate for the regulation of tobacco products. They urge the voters to have time to know candidates who support the campaign against tobacco.
“Ang panawagan po namin, sana bukod sa personality, sa apelyido, endorsement ng pangulo, sana magkaroon tayo ng oras at will na kilatisin kung anong plataporma ang tinatakbuhan ng ating mga kandidato kasi may impact sa araw-araw na buhay natin kung sino yung iboboto natin,” said Au Quilala, Advocacy Manager of Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development.
The advocates also urge the candidates to fully express their support against tobacco and not fear that this support will have a negative impact on the upcoming election.
According to Quilala, 91% of the Filipinos are in favor of banning smoking in public places and 9 out of 10 adult Filipinos are in favor for increasing the minimum age of using and buying of cigarettes from 18 to 25 years old. In addition, 7 out of 10 Filipinos are willing to vote candidates who are supporting anti-tobacco regulations.
They also discussed problems faced by the campaign against tobacco. Filomento Sta. Ana III, Executive Director of Action for Economic Reforms explains that the problem is not in the tobacco farmers but in the demand that the society give to the tobacco industries.
“Habang may demand padin, hindi mawawala yung motibasyon … kahit na sabihin natin na itong mga kasulukuyang magsasaka lumipat sa ibang produkto pero may demand pa rin sa tobacco, may magsusupply pa rin nun, pwedeng imported, pwedeng ibang tao na siyang magpoproduce ng tobacco. Kaya ang pinakaimportante, ang magandang approach, papaano natin babawasan ang demand,” Sta. Ana said.
Another advocacy of the campaign is to also regulate the usage and production of electronic cigarettes which is in demand nowadays especially to the youth. According to Carlos P. Garcia, e-cigarettes do not really help in stopping smokers from using tobacco cigarettes.
“All over the world, it is not considered as a cessation device, in fact mas marami pa yung bumalik sa paninigarilyo kaysa doon sa tumigil talaga … Pero since hindi mo na nga tinanggal yung behavior na maglalagay siya ng something sa bibig niya, so nandoon parin yun, hahanaphanapin parin niya yun,” said Garcia.
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