THE antismoking group New Vois Association of the Philippines (Nvap) on Wednesday called for the revival of the ban on point-of-sale (POS) advertisements of cigarette products.
NVAP President Emer Rojas said the group hopes that the government will consider emulating the continued implementation of the ban on outdoor POS ads of cigarette products in Davao City.
“POS advertisements are being allowed in most parts of the country, but not in Davao City and in some other areas. We hope that the national government can take cue from President Duterte’s hometown in pushing for the restriction of outdoor advertising for cigarette products,” Rojas said.
He added that the World Health Organization (WHO) in its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), wherein the Philippines is one of the signatories, stressed on the need to ban cigarette advertising.
“A comprehensive ban of all tobacco advertising and promotion, POS included, is being deemed as one of the more important measures that need to be imposed if the government expects to see a reduced consumption of tobacco products,” Rojas said.
He added that Nvap hopes that the Interagency Committee-Tobacco (IAC-Tobacco) would take a lead role in initiating the ban on outdoor cigarette promotion.
Rojas said that, in doing so, IAC-Tobacco will be able to prove that health is their primary concern for the people, in line with President Duterte’s policy on health.
“We can all agree on the crucial aspect of POS ads in the fight versus smoking ills. Therefore, it is imperative that members of the IAC-Tobacco insist that such a policy of banning POS ads is necessary,” Rojas said.
The WHO recently renewed its call for member-states to be vigilant against the intensified efforts of interference from the tobacco industry.
Nvap recalled that on July 1, 2007, the country began imposing the restriction on POS advertisements for cigarette products, including signages on top of sari-sari stores and other retail outlets.
The policy was anchored on the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, which outlaws outdoor tobacco advertisements.
However, the interpretation of the said provision of Republic Act 9211 was put into question in February 2008 when the Regional Trial Court in Marikina sided with the IAC-Tobacco majority in saying cigarette companies can place advertising materials within the premises of point-of-sale establishments.