NGOs Move to Snuff Plans for Global Tobacco Expo in Manila

Source from:  Inter Askyon 03/02/2012

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance (FCAP) is urging the government to reject a plan of international tobacco companies to conduct a "cigarette expo" in the country middle of this month. FCAP executive director Dr. Maricar Limpin said they received reports late last year that the multi-billion tobacco industry will hold an International Tobacco Exposition that will showcase cigarette products and smoking accessories in the country. In a press conference, Limpin vowed their alliance will exert all efforts to prevent the holding of the event. "To the tobacco industry players coming from different parts of the world to attend this tobacco expo, you are not welcome here. It's more fun in the Philippines without the tobacco companies enticing people to smoke and suffer chronic deadly diseases after," Limpin said. Manila will host the Protobex ASIA and Inter-Tabac Asia 2012, said to be the largest tobacco trade fair and gathering worldwide, on March 15 to 17, 2012 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). Limpin's group wrote the Civil Service Commission, headed by Dr. Francisco Duque III, saying a government-owned function hall like the PICC is barred from allowing use of its premises for tobacco-related events by Section 5.3 of the World Health Organization Frame Work Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) and Joint Memorandum Circular 2010-01 on Protection of the Bureaucracy from Tobacco Industry Conference. The group asked the PICC to reconsider the agreement with the tobacco firms, hinting that the state officials concerned could draw administrative cases. "It's even more fun in the Philippines if the government will stand its ground for public health and stay away from these international tobacco events like a plague," Limpin said. According to the event website, the Philippines was chosen as venue for its "vibrant tobacco industry that has played, and continues to play, an important role in the domestic economy, earning millions of dollars for the country." The Philippine Cancer Society's education and information chief Alex Asuncion expressed concern that if the government allows the tobacco industries to hold an expo, the country may send the wrong signal to its international partners about its commitment to an international convention. The PICC's lease as the official venue for these twin events is covered by an agreement signed between the PICC and the official representatives of ProTobEx ASIA and Inter-Tabac Asia. "We urge the PICC management to take immediate steps and seriously review any agreement that may have been entered into for being violative of existing treaty laws and regulations. The tobacco expo being hosted by a government facility will lead to unimaginable shame for us as we strive to fulfill our commitment to the FCTC," Limpin explained. Under the FCTC Article 5.3 and as adopted by the JMC 2010-01 of the Department of Health and CSC, State Parties should interact with the tobacco industry only when and to the extent strictly necessary to enable them to effectively regulate the tobacco industry and tobacco products. Where interactions with the tobacco industry are necessary, Parties should ensure that such interactions are conducted transparently. Whenever possible, interactions should be conducted in public, for example through public hearings, public notice of interactions, disclosure of records of such interactions to the public. The FCAP and other stakeholders plan mass actions during the tobacco expo if they fail to stop its holding. "So far we have more than 1,000 supporters who already expressed support that they will join the mobilization," Limpin said. National Tobacco Administration (NTA) chief Edgardo Zaragoza said that in 2010, tobacco industries drew in total revenue of P40 billion. However, Limpin said that although the government received billions of money from them, it spent P300 billion for health care services for the 95-percent patients diagnosed with smoking-related diseases. Enditem