Moves against Phl hosting of tobacco expo snowball

MANILA, Philippines - Moves against the Philippines’ hosting of the Protobex/Inter-Tabac Asia snowballed as it was seen as an affront to the country’s efforts to save people from the ill effects of cigarettes.

In separate statements, the World Health Organization (WHO), South East Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), Health Justice, New Vois Association of the Philippines, Philippine Cancer Society and Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines said the exposition is a direct assault on Asia by the tobacco industry.

“The Philippine government, as host to the WHO-Western Pacific Region Office, must take Protobex/Inter-Tabac Asia’s arrival as both an attack and an insult,” SEATCA said.

The group said that “anywhere tobacco and smoking are promoted, government efforts to protect and promote the health and welfare of their citizens are spat upon.”

“No national or local government should promote nor partner with tobacco industry players as it will end up promoting their harmful products, and find itself making a mockery of their own principles and programs for public health,” SEATCA added.

WHO has reminded the Philippines that it is one of the 176 parties to the WHO-initiated Framework Convention on Tobacco Control “whose article 13 requires a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.”

WHO said that close to 14 million adult Filipinos smoke every day and if this trend continues, an estimated 10 Filipinos dying by the hour from tobacco-related diseases like heart disease, cancer and stroke will continue to escalate.

The FCAP, for its part, maintained that the staging of the exposition is an “outright disrespect” for Philippine laws as it is held for the second consecutive year in Manila.

“The tobacco industry not only continuously undermines government’s tobacco control efforts but also blatantly disregards our rules,” FCAP added.