Stop ‘Fronting’ for Tobacco Companies, Government Urged

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An anti-tobacco group today asked the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to strictly adhere to the provisions of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) and urged the Philippine government to stop “fronting for the selfish business interests of big-time multi-national tobacco corporations.”

Dr. Maricar Limpin, Executive Director of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance- Philippines (FCAP), issued the call as she criticized the move of DTI to file a case against Thailand before the World Trade Organization (WTO) for allegedly imposing high tariffs on Philip Morris products produced in the Philippines.

After failing to resolve the trade row through diplomatic channels, the Philippine government, through DTI Undersecretary Thomas Aquino has filed a case versus Thailand, accusing Bangkok of discriminating against Manila’s cigarette exports to protect a state-owned tobacco monopoly.

In a statement, Limpin said FCAP deplored the move of DTI to endorse the complaint of the Philip Morris International Philippines against Thailand before the WTO and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) dispute settlement mechanism board.

“We condemn the fact that the Philippine government is allowing itself to be utilized as a front of the tobacco industry and defending the position of Philip Morris International, a private company whose exports amount to less than one percent of Philippine exports,” Limpin explained.

FCAP found this unfortunate because the DTI heads the Inter-Agency Committee on Tobacco Control (IACT) which is supposed to implement the tobacco control laws. “The Philippines is already behind in implementing FCTC because the Graphic Health Warning bill has not yet been passed and the outdoor ad ban is not being implemented. Worse, we are now helping promote tobacco in a neighboring country that is taking this tobacco treaty more seriously than we are,” Limpin added.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, in Article 5.3 obligates parties to protect public health policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry.