Government warned vs opening doors to tobacco industry

ON THE heels of the controversial legal opinion of the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (Seatca) is warning government agencies against opening their doors to the tobacco industry for their donations and support.

In a statement, Seatca Executive Director Dr Ulysses Dorotheo said it is necessary for government agencies to promptly reject any attempts of the tobacco industry to give their donations and assistance.

“The tobacco industry does its fake CSR to buy goodwill so that government officials will favor them when crafting and implementing tobacco control policies. Who wins then: public health or the industry?” said Dorotheo.

“We have to be careful not to open doors for the tobacco industry to corrupt our bureaucracy,” he added.

This was seconded by former Department of Health Undersecretary Madeleine Valera, who said any partnerships with the tobacco industry may have an effect on the government and its policies.

“It’s inappropriate for government agencies to receive donations from harmful industries when the donations may influence how such harmful industries are regulated," said Valera.

For her part, former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral said the Philippines' commitment to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) of the World Health Organization should already be the end of any debates.

“Based on our international commitments, we should be banning all forms of tobacco sponsorships and protecting against tobacco industry interference, " said Cabral.

Earlier, in its Opinion dated June 6, the DOJ said it does not see anything illegal if the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will receive donations from the tobacco industry.

The DOJ noted that the joint memorandum circular by the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Health states that the prohibition on unnecessary interactions with the tobacco industry only applies to individual government officials and not government institutions. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)