Sen. Villar: Fight illicit tobacco trade, beware of health effects
File photo shows a farmer in Villasis, Pangasinan watering his tobacco plants to protect them from heat. (INQUIRER / WILLIE LOMIBAO)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Cynthia Villar on Tuesday emphasized the need to recognize tobacco’s impact on public health as a critical step in combating illicit trade.
Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, highlighted the link between tobacco use and non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory ailments.
She noted that illicit trade worsens these risks by introducing “substandard and untested products” into the market.
“While the tobacco industry contributes significantly to our economy, we must also recognize its impact on public health,” Villar said in a recorded message during Tuesday’s second International Tobacco Summit.
“This highlights that in order to balance the growth of the tobacco industry, we must implement measures to mitigate its negative health consequences,” Villar stressed.
Villar also pointed out that illicit trade empowers organized crime, threatens national security, and disrupts economic stability.
“It creates an uneven playing field, affecting the livelihoods of our hardworking Filipino tobacco farmers,” she said.
“These challenges underscore the urgent need to strengthen our policies and enforcement mechanisms to protect the industry, our economy, and public health,” Villar added.
Villar highlighted the significant losses in government revenue caused by illicit tobacco trade, which according to her, undermines legitimate businesses and deprives the public of funds meant for essential services.
Villar therefore urged government agencies and industry stakeholders to “foster stronger regional and international cooperation” to address the problem effectively.
“This is a crucial step in that direction. Together, we can create effective strategies to address these challenges and promote sustainable growth in our local tobacco industry,” Villar said.
