‘We need food, not tobacco’: Manila photo exhibit highlights importance of prioritizing food over ‘no good’ tobacco

May 29, Manila – Smoke-free advocates and the local government of Manila launched a photo exhibit at the Manila City Hall, in time for the commemoration of World No Tobacco Day on May 31. Themed ‘We need food, not tobacco,’ the exhibit seeks to convey a powerful message: tobacco lacks redeeming value, whereas food does.

“Pinapakita ng mga litratong ito ang pinsala na dulot ng paggamit ng tabako sa pamilya at komunidad. Sa halip na gumastos sa sigarilyo na wala namang magandang dulot sa ating kalusugan at kabuhayan, dapat pagkain ang bigyan natin ng prayoridad,” Manila Vice Mayor John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto said during the launch of the photo exhibit.

“Mahalaga ang papel ng lokal na pamahalaan na magpalaganap ng impormasyon upang tulungan ang mga Manileño na tuluyang iwan ang bisyo para sa pangmatagalang benepisyo,” Vice Mayor Nieto added.

Vice Mayor Nieto also stressed the need to strengthen the smoke-free policy of the nation’s capital.

“Nakikipagtulungan tayo sa iba’t ibang civil society groups sa paglikha ng smoke-free solutions sa Maynila. Layunin natin na ang lahat ng pampublikong espasyo sa lungsod ay maging 100% smoke-free,” Vice Mayor Nieto said.

For his part, Child Rights Network Convenor and Executive Director of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development Mr. Rom Dongeto thanked the Manila local government for “leading the way towards pursuing local policies for the protection of children’s health.”

“Umaasa kami na mas maraming LGU ang sumunod sa magandang halimbawa ng Maynila at magsagawa ng local awareness-raising activities tulad ng eksibit na ito. Child rights and health advocates across the country fully support this exhibit’s message of prioritizing healthy food over ‘no good’ tobacco and doing everything possible to ensure that all Pinoy kids have healthy lungs and are able to eat healthy food,” Mr. Dongeto explained.

The photo exhibit was organized through a collaborative effort with Manila Vice Mayor Nieto, alongside HealthJustice, Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, Child Rights Network, Social Watch Philippines, Philippine Smoke-Free Movement, Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids, Aktib, Parents Against Vape, and Action for Economic Reforms.

The photo exhibit utilized different photography styles, from unrehearsed and candid takes to studio-modified photography, to capture the issue’s “raw and unfiltered truth.”

Key parts of the exhibit featured candid moments in workplaces across the city, including public markets, fish ports, and construction sites, to highlight not only the struggle of the common people but also the added burden tobacco use puts on these people’s lives. Meanwhile, another segment of the exhibit envisioned a “smoke-free future.”