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Antismoking group worried on entry of cheap cigarettes By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco | Correspondent
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AYING that it will be counterproductive to the goals of the sin-tax reform law, the New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP) on Sunday expressed concerns over the possibility of cheaper cigarettes being introduced in the market. NVAP President Emer Rojas said that having cheaper brands of cigarette products will only give the public a window to splurge on their smoking vice without the worry of spending much. “It is sin-tax law’s goal to make cigarette products inaccessible to the people, especially to the poor and the youth. How can having cheaper brands prove to be helpful to the people’s health?” Rojas said. He noted how a big tobacco company is already planning to produce a cigarette brand that will be sold at P2 per stick, P1 lower than other brands. “We are worried that having a legal way to sell cheaper cigarette will render the health objectives of the sin-tax law almost useless,” Rojas said. Based on a survey by the Social Weather Stations last year after the sin-tax law was passed, the prevalence of smoking for those belonging to socioeconomic Class E or the very poor dropped from 38 percent in December 2012 to 25 percent in March 2014. The survey commissioned by the Department of Health (DOH) also showed that smoking among those belonging to the 18- to 24-year-old age group was also reduced from 35 percent in December 2012 to 18 percent in March 2014. Aside from making cigarettes accessible to the public anew, Rojas also warned that allowing more smokers to fan their vice will result to more
government resources needed to spend for the health care of those who will develop smokingrelated illnesses. “Allowing more to smoke will be counterproductive since more can develop diseases from smoking and more will need to get treatment that will be shouldered by the government,” said Rojas, a former smoker who is a cancer survivor. He said it would be better if such funds will just be utilized for health promotion instead, as the people will avoid getting sick if properly informed and educated. It should be noted that most of the revenues from the sin products are being allocated by the DOH to fund universal health care, upgrade medical facilities, and train doctors and nurses, he added. In January 2013 the government began imposing higher tax rates on tobacco products, which resulted in higher cigarette prices. Rojas called on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to evaluate the looming entry of cheaper cigarette products since the agency is the chairman of the Inter-Agency Committee on Tobacco. “We hope that the DTI will spearhead efforts to look into this matter if we are to prevent a relapse in the pre-sin-tax Law days with the introduction of cheaper cigarettes to the market,” Rojas said. Section 2 of Republic Act 9211, or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, states that the government shall “institute a balanced policy whereby the use, sale, and advertisements of tobacco products shall be regulated in order to promote a healthful environment and protect the citizens from the hazards of tobacco smoke.”
Editor: Dionisio L. Pelayo • Monday, June 29, 2015 A3
Palace firm on Family Code vs LGBT unions
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By Butch Fernandez
ALACAÑANG stood firm on enforcing the Family Code of the Philippines and would not recognize same-sex marriages by Filipinos abroad amid a clamor from local lesbiangay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) groups for the government to follow the US Supreme Court which upheld same-sex unions in all 50 states of the US.
Communications Secretary Herminio B. Coloma Jr. on Sunday said the prevailing law is clear. “Ang umiiral na batas po natin ay malinaw. Doon po sa Family Code of the Philippines, ang kinikilala lamang na kasal ay sa pagitan ng a man and a woman.” He pointed out a specific provision of the Family Code which, he said, recognizes only weddings between a man and a woman. “Nakalagay po doon ‘marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in accordance with law for the establishment
COLOMA: “Nakalagay po doon ‘marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in accordance with law for the establishment of conjugal and family life.’”
of conjugal and family life,’” Coloma said. He explained that this is why same-sex marriage contracted by Filipinos abroad are not recognized here. “Kaya po lahat ng mga same-sex marriage ng mga Filipino na contracted sa foreign country ay hindi kinikilala sa ating bansa,” Coloma said. He also noted that according to the nationality principle of the Civil Code of the Philippines, all Filipino citizens, even those living abroad are covered by this. “Lahat ng mga batas patungkol sa family rights, status, condition at legal capacity ng mga Filipino citizens pati po iyong nakatira sa ibang bansa ay sinasakop ng Article XV ng Civil Code of the Philippines na nagsasaad—and I quote—‘Laws relating to family rights and duties or to the status, condition, and legal capacity of persons are binding upon citizens of the Philippines even though living abroad,’” he added. Coloma clarified that the existing national policy on same-sex unions have not been changed. He suggested that those calling for such amendments should go to Congress instead. “Wala pong pagbabago sa pambansang patakaran hing gil diyan. Kung mayroon pong nagpapanukala dapat po idaan nila iyon sa Kongreso,” Coloma said.