Philippine health NGO slams tobacco expo; warns more tobacco-related deaths among Asians

MANILA — Members of the Philippine health NGO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP) slammed the ongoing conference of the tobacco industry in Bangkok and warned of increase in tobacco-related deaths in Asia as the industry enhances its hold in the Asia Pacific market.

“The tobacco industry is training its guns and armor not for battle but to entice our young children to smoking addiction and lead them to suffer from tobacco-related deaths. Expect the industry to launch more sophisticated marketing and public relation gimmicks to penetrate the Asia Pacific market where governments are starting to implement stricter bans on smoking and tobacco advertising and promotions,” said Dr. Maricar Limpin, FCAP Executive Director.

The group issued this statement as the tobacco industry holds its own tobacco exposition dubbed, TABINFOASIA 2009 in Bangkok. The industry identified Asia Pacific as one of the world’s most important tobacco markets. In its website about the event, the organizers intend to address the rules and regulations governing tobacco in the global market with topics devoted to bans and regulations and corporate social responsibility as among the options that the industry players may consider in penetrating the market.

Limpin said the tobacco industry has been undermining the tobacco regulation laws of the Philippines by engaging in partnerships with government agencies and getting publicity to promote tobacco in the guise of corporate social responsibility.

In the press briefing conducted by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) in Bangkok, FCAP showed to the media Philip Morris Philippines Managing Director Chris Nelson donating check to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) after the typhoons that have hit the country recently.

“The PNRC which has professed to dedicate itself to the service of humanity, provide assistance for the most vulnerable and protect the life of Filipinos has been receiving donations from Philip Morris that is marketing a deadly product, courtesy of its Chairman, Sen. Richard Gordon. It is doubly alarming because the Senator has shown clear bias for the tobacco industry when he consistently pushed for a watered-down version of the bill on picture-based health warning in cigarette packaging,” Limpin explained.

In the same briefing, FCAP also showed Nelson donating to public schools in the provinces and in cooperation with the Knowledge Channel Foundation, a private foundation allegedly working for the youth education.

“It is the height of marketing manipulation in the guise of corporate social responsibility that Philip Morris chose to engage public educational institutions that are supposed to take care of the well-being of the youth,” said Limpin.

FCAP is leading the group of anti-smoking advocates from the Philippines who are participating in the Southeast Asia Regional Workshop on Surveillance, Monitoring and Counteractions on the Industry organized by SEATCA. This strategy workshop will run one day ahead of Tabinfo Asia, from November 10 to 12, 2009. (ENDS)