Philippines may Miss out on Aid for Tobacco Farmers

Source from:  GMA News 11/27/2008

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines may be given least priority status for foreign aid for displaced tobacco farmers if the country fails to implement graphic health warnings on cigarette labels. In a statement released to the press, the Framework Alliance on Tobacco Control-Philippines (FATC) said while it cites the Philippines' accession in the 160-nation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), Manila is still wanting in passing graphic health warning bills that have yet to be approved at the committee level in both Houses of Congress. FATC Executive Director Maricar B. Limpin told BusinessWorld the Framework Convention Alliance is crafting guidelines on giving aid to member countries "and one of the possible guidelines is to give least priority to noncompliant countries, which includes the Philippines." The Philippines missed the Sept. 4 deadline to have a law on health warnings in tobacco labels. Vietnam, Mongolia, Qatar and Myanmar join the Philippines in the list of noncompliant countries. FCTC, an international treaty sponsored by the World Health Organization, compels ratifying countries to pass and implement laws protecting the public from smoking. The treaty requires the establishment of programs to provide alternative livelihood for tobacco farmers, standardized picture-based health warnings in cigarette packages, limit the sponsorship and advertising of tobacco companies and establish programs that will limit the influence of tobacco companies. The Philippines ratified the convention on June 6, 2005. Twenty-five countries have finalized the requirements for picture-based health warnings, including Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. Several countries in Africa and Europe have pending bills in parliament on the health warnings. "The [Health] department is very much committed to public health and the compliance with the treaty but the treaty also makes it clear that provisions should also be in accordance with national laws," said Health Undersecretary Alexander A. Padilla, who represented the Philippines in the meeting of the 160 countries. Enditem