Statement of the Alliance of Local Legislators for Human Development (ALL4HD) in Commemorating the 2025 World No Tobacco Day

May 30, 2025

The Alliance of Local Legislators for Human Development, a progressive and non-partisan organization of local legislators nationwide promoting and advocating human development through legislation and good governance, joins the celebration of World No Tobacco Day 2025.

With the theme “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products,” this year’s campaign aims to expose the strategies of the tobacco industry in making their products attractive, especially to the youth, through enticing designs and packaging, flavors, and insidious and unethical marketing strategies to make their products part of a desirable lifestyle.

The current situation in the Philippines is a cause for alarm.  Based on the 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 1 in 7 students aged 13 to 15 years old (14.1%) are already using vapes or electronic cigarettes. Meanwhile, 1 in 8 students of the same age group (12.5%) are using any type of tobacco products, including vapes and combustible cigarettes. The same study also revealed how easily accessible these products are, with almost 80% of the students who smoke reported buying them from a store, shop, kiosk, or street vendor.

This is a direct result of the tobacco industry’s youth targeting.

As local legislators, we have a role in:

  • Ensuring strong tobacco control laws and policies that protect the youth and the full and effective implementation of these policies at the local level
  • Enacting ordinances that reduce the use of tobacco and nicotine products, including smoking cessation programs, information dissemination campaigns, and behavioral change strategies
  • Ensuring smoke-free and vape-free environments, especially the protection of minors from cigarette smoke and vapes as well as the general public from second-hand smoking
  • Scaling up local policy successes for replication and adoption into national legislation
  • Encouraging citizen participation in protecting the youth and the general public from the harms of smoking

We urge fellow local legislators to prioritize public health over the interests of the industry and lead in the creation of healthier communities and the protection of the fundamental right of every Filipino for a healthy environment.

Local government units are the first to benefit from a healthy population. In the same way, healthcare costs for treating tobacco related illnesses are minimized when citizens don’t get sick and tobacco control programs are effective. This is something that no amount of economic contribution from the tobacco industry can match.

As public servants, we commit to champion public health and contribute to our vision of a tobacco-free generation. ###

#WorldNoTobaccoDay2025
#SmokeFreeVapeFreeNOW
#TobaccoFreeGeneration