Smoking ban in the Philippines? Just make it more expensive to light up
6 April 2017: MANILA – I used to smoke – burning a pack and a half a day. But Singapore cured me of that nasty
No special treatment for Mighty–Dominguez
3 April 2017: Mighty Corp. will not get special treatment from the government as the head of the Duterte administration’s economic team expressed confidence that
DoH backs stronger cigarette tax campaign
2 April 2017: The Health Department said it supports the Finance Department’s campaign to run after tax evaders in the cigarette industry, saying an additional
Manila City Council approves smoking ban in all local government facilities
3 April 2017: By Jaimie Rose R. Aberia An ordinance that bans smoking at all public buildings, facilities, and establishments “owned, used, or controlled or
Exclusive: Indonesia eyes decree on tobacco after bill runs into opposition
30 March 2017: By Eveline Danubrata and Agustinus Beo Da Costa | JAKARTA Indonesia’s government has proposed issuing a decree to govern the domestic tobacco
Hilmi: Raising cigarette prices one way to deter smokers
28 March 2017: KUALA LUMPUR: Raising cigarette prices to RM21.50 a packet is among the measures to be taken to reduce the number of smokers
Settlement with Mighty Corp. now ‘out of the question’ – DOF’s Dominguez
27 March 2017: A settlement between the government and Mighty Corp. is now out of the question, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said Monday,
Tobacco bill contradicts 14 laws: Expert
22 March 2017: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (left) and Vice President Jusuf Kalla (right) lead a limited Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta
BIR files P9.56-B tax evasion charges against Mighty Corp.
22 March 2017: Bureau of Internal Revenue officials press charges against Mighty Corporation for supposedly using bogus tax stamps on cigarette packs. The P9.5 billion
Jokowi changes tack, gives green light for tobacco bill deliberations
21 March 2017: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has changed his mind on the controversial tobacco bill and has signed a presidential letter permitting the House
A tribute to health champions
21 March 2017: I may be biased, but I believe a nation must be generally healthy to become progressive. And a government which puts a
Over 1M Pinoys have quit smoking
20 March 2017: MANILA — More than one million Filipinos have quit tobacco use, the Department of Health said. In a press briefing, Health Secretary
Smoke at your own risk—the Davao City model
19 March 2017: DAVAO CITY–There is always a constant sense of paranoia among smokers in this city. And it’s easy to spot them. That included
Health groups to President Duterte: sign Smoke-Free Executive Order now
17 March 2017: Different health groups on Wednesday urged Philippine President Duterte to sign a 100% Smoke-Free Executive Order now to save thousands of Filipinos
Jokowi opts to kill tobacco bill
16 March 2017: In an about face move that demonstrated stronger support for the country’s public health, the government said on Wednesday that it refused to deliberate
Mighty to pay P3B to settle tax liability
16 March 2017: Homegrown tobacco firm Mighty Corp. has agreed to pay at least P3 billion as settlement for its excise tax liabilities, Justice Secretary
Indonesia’s chief security minister to decide tobacco bill’s fate
11 March 2017: As the deadline for the government to respond to the House of Representatives’ second attempt to deliberate the controversial tobacco bill approaches,
ILO urged to cut links with tobacco industry
10 March 2017: THE Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) has called upon the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to end its ties with the tobacco
Tax amnesty offer illegal, says group
10 March 2017: Samples of counterfeit cigarettes seized by the Bureau of Customs (CDN FILE PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA) A nongovernment organization, Action for Economic Reforms
Legal smoking age in Singapore to be raised to 21
9 March 2017: SINGAPORE — More than two years after it started mulling over the move, Singapore will join places such as New York City
Duterte orders arrest of Mighty Corp. owner
7 March 2017: MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:40 p.m.) — President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the arrest of the owner of Mighty Corporation following reports that someone had tried
Palace: There was an attempt to bribe Duterte
7 March 2017: Malacañang on Tuesday confirmed that there was an attempt to bribe President Rodrigo Duterte. “Actually that’s really a matter of Cabinet conversation.
Kidapawan City creates Task Force Usok to bolster anti-smoking ordinance
2 March 2016: The local government on Thursday launched “Task Force Usok” to intensify its anti-smoking campaign in all private establishments and public places here.
New tobacco control law passed
3 March 2017: The National Legislative Assembly on Friday passed the final reading of the Tobacco Control Bill, which raises the minimum age to legally
Big haul of fake tax stamps
2 March 2017: Joint operations of the bureaus of Customs and of Internal Revenue on Wednesday yielded a total of 23.2 million packs of cigarettes
Heated tobacco products just as bad as cigarettes: Amy Khor
2 March 2017: SINGAPORE — Allowing the use of heated tobacco products here could draw a much larger group of users — especially among youth
Bataan holds ‘Zumbale’ for anti-smoking program
1 March 2017: BALANGA CITY: This component city of Bataan recently held “Zumbale” or dancing while walking to conclude the healthy lifestyle month of February
The colorful change for the sin tax on cigarettes
28 February 2017: Cigarette smoking significantly affects the lives of many Filipinos whether directly or indirectly. In fact, dating back to 2009, based on the
Cardiologists call on Duterte to sign EO on smoking ban
25 February 2017: Cardiologists of the Manila Medical Center (Manila Med) and Philippine Heart Association (PHA) joined medical communities and health advocates in calling on
BIR to summon tobacco firms on fake tax stamps
28 February 2017: MANILA — The Bureau of Internal Revenue will summon cigarette firms to get to the bottom of the proliferation of fake tax
SEATCA facilitates study visits of Cambodian tax dep’t & Myanmar MOHS
Bangkok: Parliamentarians and senior officials from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Ministry of Health and Sport (MOHS) together with the People’s Health Foundation (PHF) paid
Four Indonesians richer than poorest 100 million
24 February 2017: Gap between rich and poor has grown faster in Indonesia than in any other country in Southeast Asia, Oxfam reports. A report
Why you need to quit smoking
23 February 2017: by Henrylito B. Tacio After staying for a few days in a hospital last December due to asthmatic bronchitis, Manila Mayor Joseph
Introduce licensing for tobacco retailers
22 February 2017: THE Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong, is asking for stakeholders’ feedback on the best way to
Ending the tobacco scourge
18 February 2017: Tobacco-related deaths are a commercially propagated epidemic. Each year, smoking kills more than six million people, a tenth of them the innocent
17 health organizations reject draft bill on tobacco
21 February 2017: Jakarta (ANTARA News) – Seventeen health organizations in Indonesia have issued a joint declaration urging President Joko Widodo to reject the draft
In Marlboro’s last frontier, a smokers’ rights group is defending the “human right” to light up
18 February 2017: “A man without a vision always falls for his past,” reads Aditia Purnomo’s t-shirt, as he sits in his office west of
Philippines: Ban smoking nationwide – DOH
13 February 2017: MANILA, Philippines – Despite the delay in the approval of an executive order, the Department of Health (DOH) has remained firm in
Manila rolls out smoking ban
13 February 2017: Manila City Mayor Joseph Estrada answers questions during a briefing, January 2016. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Monday
Graphic health warnings cut cigarette use by 1 billion packs
9 February 2017: Cigarette consumption in the country declined last year by 1.4 billion packs which revenue authorities attributed to the graphic health warnings printed
SEATCA refutes former PH NEDA chief, reiterates benefit of high unitary tax
31 January 2017: 31 January 2017, Manila – The Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) asserts that former National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Director General
2-tier cigarette tax bid shelved
6 February 2017: Review the Sin Tax Reform Law first before tackling the proposal to revert to a two-tier excise tax system for cigarettes. This
Smoking zones disappear in a puff with new law
4 February 2017: PETALING JAYA: Smoking zones in open-air public transport stops, air-conditioned food outlets and stadiums are no more, said Health director-general Datuk Dr
DoF vows to oppose two-tier cigarette tax
29 January 2017: The Finance Department said it will oppose a bill reverting to the two-tier tax system on cigarette packs in the country once
Cambodia: Minister vows action against tobacco firms
23 January 2017: Within almost six months of a sub-decree going into effect requiring graphic warnings on all cigarette packages, Health Minister Mam Bunheng issued
Indonesia: Yogyakarta to Introduce Bylaw on Smoke-free Areas
20 January 2017: TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The city of Yogyakarta will soon introduce a bylaw to regulate smoke-free areas in a bid to control tobacco
WHO: Tobacco control measures save lives
17 January 2017: MANILA, Philippines – With cigarettes remaining to be a leading cause of preventable premature deaths, tobacco control measures are highly cost-effective and
Unitary cigarette tax seen to level playing field
16 January 2017: The ongoing implementation of the single excise tax rate on cigarettes would be effective in combating not only smoking but also tax
Executive order sought vs smoking in public
15 January 2017: Tobacco-control advocates are seeking the signing of an executive order (EO) that bans smoking in public places. Statistics show that 10 Filipinos
Singapore: Orchard Road ramps up fight against smoking
12 January 2017: Designated smoking points are making their mark along the Orchard Road shopping belt, as the area inches towards becoming smoke-free. Last month,