Strengthen tobacco control, youth and health advocates tell gov’t after COP11

A coalition of youth groups, civil society organizations, and health advocates on Thursday urged the Philippine government to take a stronger, unified stance against tobacco and nicotine products, citing concerns over the country’s inconsistent positions at COP11.

At a media event in Quezon City, groups led by Kabataan Partylist, the Philippine Smoke-Free Movement (PSFM), TobaccOFF NOW!, Positive Youth Development Network (PYDN), Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD), Parents Against Vape, and the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) called on officials to “realign” the Philippines’ position with strong public health protections and reject what they said were harmful narratives pushed by the tobacco industry.

The coalition said COP11 made only limited progress on key priorities—including accountability for tobacco manufacturers and advancing global tobacco endgame efforts—while core health protections stalled despite broad international support.

Concerns over PH delegation’s stance

Dr. Ulysses Dorotheo, executive director of SEATCA, raised concerns over what he described as mixed messaging from the Philippine delegation.

“The Philippine delegation avoided a sixth Dirty Ashtray award at COP 11 only because it wasn’t as bad as other Parties. Its inconsistent and ambivalent statements are a sign of fractured government leadership. If the government continues to protect tobacco industry interests, it will continue to fail in its duty to protect the health of all Filipinos from tobacco and nicotine addiction,” he said.

PSFM national coordinator Rizza Duro urged officials to translate COP11 commitments into clear policy actions and uphold the DOH–CSC Joint Memorandum Circular protecting public institutions from tobacco influence.

“As we work to translate our commitments at the COP 11 into actionable tobacco control solutions, we urge the Philippine government to reject any form of tobacco industry interference and to uphold the DOH-CSC Joint Memorandum Circular, which aims to protect the bureaucracy from the tobacco industry. We also call on government officials to be transparent and truthful about the extent of their engagements with the tobacco industry,” she said.

Youth leaders push for stronger protections

Youth advocate Vonn Vincent Tanchuan of TobaccOFF NOW! said young Filipinos want stronger action at home even as governments worldwide push forward with tobacco-control efforts.

“We recognize the great strides governments made at COP 11; however, back home, we continue the call for the Philippine government to prioritize our health over profits,” he said.

Tanchuan added that the coalition supports the Department of Health’s call for a nationwide vape ban and warned that electronic smoking devices remain unsafe and highly addictive.

“We stand ready to support DOH’s call for a nationwide ban on vapes, but we also challenge the government further to fully reject the tobacco industry’s harm reduction narrative and address misinformation about this dangerous claim: Electronic smoking devices are equally unsafe, and are designed to addict the new generation, our generation, to nicotine,” he said.

Lawmakers highlight urgent risks to the youth

Kabataan Partylist Representative Renee Louise Co pointed to the estimated 112,000 preventable tobacco-related deaths in the country each year, alongside the rising number of minors using vapes and other nicotine products.

"The staggering figure of 112,000 preventable deaths yearly in the Philippines due to tobacco is alarming, not to mention the growing number of minors who are using vapes and other nicotine products. The failure to move forward on critical policies and help protect the youth like flavor bans and strict regulation of new product development—is a victory for the tobacco industry and a defeat for public health. Walang bago sa Bagong Pilipinas at ang Bawat Buhay Manganganib kung hindi pa rin ito maaaksyunan ngayon din [There will be nothing new from the Bagong Pilipinas and the Bawat Buhay Manganganib if action is not taken],” she said.

Advocates renew call for transparency and protection from industry interference

The coalition reiterated that public health—not commercial tobacco interests—must guide government action.

“We are demanding a rejection of the tobacco industry’s harm reduction narrative, a renewed, unwavering commitment to WHO FCTC Article 5.3 of the FCTC, so that together we can create a tobacco- and nicotine-free world,” the groups said.

Additional statements from partner organizations

PLCPD advocacy and partnerships officer Christine Torres called for stronger policies to protect children, including vape-free spaces, amendments to the Vape Law, and safeguards for sin taxes.

Parents Against Vape project leader Judy delos Reyes cited global public health warnings against claims that electronic smoking devices reduce harm.

“No less than the World Health Organization Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus strongly rejected the tobacco industry’s harm reduction narrative. We agree, this is not harm reduction; it is harm production. Electronic smoking devices cannot help with quitting smoking, and will instead create a new generation addicted to nicotine. We need the government to protect us from the harms of tobacco. We, the parents, will not let our children become the replacement smokers for the tobacco industry’s profits,” she said. — BM, GMA Integrated News