Vape bill to secure livelihood of Filipino farmers, groups say

MANILA, Philippines — The enactment of the vape bill will secure the livelihood of thousands of Filipino farmers, support the local industry and contribute taxes to the government, according to two major groups of tobacco growers and farmers with 45,000 members.

Philippine Tobacco Growers Association (PTGA) president Saturnino Distor thanked the Senate and the House of Representatives for overwhelmingly passing the vape bill which encourages the manufacturers of these innovative smoke-free products to use locally-produced tobacco.

In a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte through Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea on January 22, 2022, National Federation of Tobacco Farmers Associations and Cooperatives (NAFTAC) president Bernard R. Vicente said the approval of the vape bill provides them a new hope that they will lift their families from the impact of the pandemic and the adverse effects of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control on the local industry.

‘Makakatulong ito ng malaki sa aming mga magsasaka na umaasa sa tabako lalo ngayong panahon ng pandemya. (This will provide a big support to our local farmers who depend on the tobacco industry especially amid the pandemic),” Distor said.

Distor said that aside from keeping the local industry afloat, the vape bill will provide a regulatory framework to ensure that these products contribute revenues to the national coffers.

“Naniniwala din kami na ang vape bill na ito ay magbibigay ng sapat na regulasyon na makakatulong para masiguradong nakokolekta ang tamang buwis sa mga bagong produktong ito—buwis na siya ring nakakatulong sa aming kabuhayan (We also believe that this Vape Bill will provide proper regulation that can help ensure correct taxes are collected from these new products—taxes that can help our livelihood),” he said. 

The NAFTAC, said the vape bill will sustain the livelihood of tobacco farmers who are already struggling because of the pandemic.

Vicente noted that with the help of the vape bill, they would be able to produce less harmful and more acceptable products for consumers.

“Kaya po kami ay umaasa na maipasa at maging ganap na batas na ito para mabigyan proteksyon ang aming kabuhayan at magkaroon ng isa pang produkto ng tabako na katanggap tanggap at mas mababang epekto sa kalusugan kumpara sa tradisyunal na sigarilyo. Ang mga manufacturers ay bibili din sila sa aming produkto na tabako na isa sa kanilang mga raw materials. (We hope that the vape bill will become a law to protect our livelihood and give us new tobacco products that are more acceptable and less harmful to health compared to traditional cigarettes. Manufacturers will eventually buy raw materials from us),” NAFTAC said.

NAFTAC said the vape bill will provide job security to thousands of tobacco farmers in the Philippines.

“Kaya po aming mahal ng Pangulo, kami po’y nakikiusap at alam din namin na kayo’y nakikinig sa aming mga mahihirap sa sana po tulungan ninyo kami, bigyan niyo po ng pagkakataong maging ganap na batas ang vape bill para po magkaroon ng seguridad ang kabuhayan ng mga katulad kong magsasaka ng tabako sa Pilipinas. (We ask our dear President to listen to the voice of the poor tobacco farmers and help us by signing the vape bill into law. This will secure the livelihood of tobacco farmers in the Philippines),” said Vicente.

The vape bill is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2239 or the “Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act” and House Bill No. 9007 or the “Non-Combustible Nicotine Delivery Systems Regulation Act”.

In a separate letter to President Rodrigo Duterte sent through Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea on January 13, 2021, the PTGA called for the approval of the vape bill which seeks to regulate less harmful nicotine alternatives such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products in the Philippines.

Once signed into law, it will regulate the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, promotion, use and consumption of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products (HTPs) and other alternatives to combusted cigarettes.

PTGA said with the government’s support, tobacco growers and communities will be able to survive the economic impact of the pandemic.

“Ang PTGA ay humihiling na mapirmahan ito at maging batas upang masigurado na may akmang regulasyon para sa mga bagong produktong ito. (The PTGA is appealing for it to be signed into law to ensure that there is an appropriate regulation for these new products), ” PTGA said in the letter to the President.

The group said tobacco growers faced a number of challenges last year, including the higher excise tax on tobacco which led to lower sales and farm production as well as the adverse effects of the pandemic on the economy.

PTGA said while the VNP Bill is meant to regulate alternative tobacco products, this will also help sustain the legitimate tobacco industry and ensure that proper taxes are collected from these new products.

The group said that if implemented, the vape bill will empower tobacco growers to become a part of the alternative tobacco product industry, which would also be derived from tobacco leaves.

At present, most of these vaporized nicotine products are imported from other countries to the detriment of local farmers. The vape bill will encourage sourcing of raw materials from local farmers and even enable them to tap the export market.

“Kung ang mga alternatibong produktong ito ay lalaki pa sa mga susunod na taon, mas makakabuti na ito ay may akmang regulasyon. Nais namin na kami ay maging bahagi ng potensyal na maitutulong nito hindi lang sa lokal na pangagailangan kundi pati sa posibleng pag-export nito sa ibang bansa. (If the market for these alternative products will grow in the coming years, it will be better to have proper regulation. We also want to become a part of the growth potential of these new products, not only in the local industry, but also in the export market,” PTGA said.

The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) also expressed its support for the vape bill to provide a pragmatic approach to address the smoking problem that affects 16 million Filipinos, with the help of less harmful alternatives.

“The enactment of the vape bill will provide a sweet spot for achieving the government’s revenue and health objectives,” said Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza, chairman of FPI, which is considered the largest umbrella group of 168 organizations and companies from various Philippine industries.

The bill seeks to combat illicit trade and promote a level playing field between and among foreign and domestic manufacturers, importers and exporters of vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products. It ensures that only the Department of Trade and Industry-registered and Bureau of Internal Revenue-compliant products are allowed to be sold, advertised or distributed through lawful means, while the approval of the FDA is required for products with medicinal and “risk-free” claims.

The vape bill aims to regulate e-cigarettes and HTPs as alternatives that can help Filipino smokers quit. The 2015 Global Adult Tobacco Survey shows there are 16 million smokers in the Philippines, including 76.7 percent who planned or thought about quitting, but only 4 percent were able to do so.

A 2021 study conducted by ACORN Marketing & Research Consultants and commissioned by consumer advocacy group Vapers PH shows that 94 percent of 2,000 Filipino respondents believe that the government should enact policies to encourage adult smokers to switch to less harmful alternatives to cigarettes, while also ensuring these products are not used by the youth or those below 18 years.

JPV