PH Cites Best Practice on Tobacco Control at UN
Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Evan P. Garcia and other International Organizations in Geneva, Head of the Philippine delegation, delivers the Philippine country statement during the Eight Conference of Parties to the World Health Organization–Framework Convention on Tobacco Control on 01 October 2018 held in Geneva. (Geneva PM photo)
GENEVA 20 October 2018 – The Philippines underlined how the World Health Organization (WHO)-Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) helped the Philippine Government strengthen its policies on tobacco control during the during the 8th Conference of Parties to the WHO-FCTC held on 01 to 06 October 2018 in Geneva.
Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, said that the WHO-FCTC strengthened the policies on demand-reduction, such as health promotion and the imposition of the Sin Tax Reform Law, that set an incremental increase towards a unitary tax on cigarettes, with excise tax directed towards programs of the Department of Health (DOH).
In its statement, the Philippine delegation noted that fiscal measures to raise taxes on tobacco even further are envisioned to support the Universal Health Coverage program.
The Philippines also showed that it has instituted Executive Order No. 26, declaring smoke-free environments in public and enclosed spaces nationwide. It called for experts to strengthen scientific, evidence-based definition for “harm reduction” in the context of tobacco control, so that all sectors can discuss tobacco policies with a common understanding.
Ambassador Garcia emphasized these policies that demonstrate the country’s strong commitment to the Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases agreed during the 73rd UN General Assembly in New York, and align with the government’s AmBisyon Natin 2040.
The Philippine delegation to the Conference was co-headed by Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (PM-WTO) Ambassador Manuel Antonio J. Teehankee, Health Undersecretary Rolando Enrique D. Domingo, Trade and Industry Undersecretary Rowel S. Barba, Finance Undersecretary Antonette C. Tionko, and Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel T. Cayanan. Other members of the delegation included technical level representatives from the same agencies, Foreign Assistant Secretary for International Economic Relations Leo Herrera-Lim, National Tobacco Administration Administrator Robert Seares with the Philippine Mission to the UN serving as lead coordinator of the Philippine position throughout the debates.
The Philippine delegation actively participated in the debate on agenda items including Articles of the Convention that tackle measures relating to the reduction of demand, reduction of supply, the protection of the environment, questions related to liability, scientific and technical cooperation and communication information and institutional arrangements for the Secretariat.
In general, the positions taken by the Philippine delegation at the COP were the ones adopted by State Parties, demonstrating that national policies on tobacco control are in line with the global agenda.
The FCTC is the first global health treaty with the specific objective of tackling the global tobacco epidemic, focusing on controlling its impact on public health and sustainable development.
The Philippines is one of the early parties to the Convention, along with the 180 other parties, having ratified the FCTC in 2005.
The Government of the Netherlands has offered to host the next Conference of Parties in 2020. END
For more information, visit www.washingtonpe.dfa.gov.ph/ www.philippineembassy-usa.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHinUSA @philippinesusa on Twitter
Ambassador Manuel Antonio J. Teehankee of the Philippine Mission to the World Trade Organization (first row, right), Undersecretary Rolando Enrique D. Domingo of the Department of Health (first row, left), Undersecretary Rowel S. Barba of the Department of Trade and Industry (second row, right), Undersecretary Ariel T. Cayanan of the Department of Agriculture (second row, left) and Administrator Robert Seares of the National Tobacco Administration during the opening ceremony of the 8th Conference of Parties to the World Health Organization – Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. (Geneva PM photo)
Undersecretary Antonette Tionko of the Department of Finance (second row, left) together with DOH Undersecretary Domingo, DTI Undersecretary Barba and DA Undersecretary Cayanan. (Geneva PM photo)