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Dirty Ashtray delegation quizzed: Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano says he wants to know if the Health Secretary had advocated hard on the anti-tobacco stand before the Philippine government delegation attended the 10th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP10) to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) in Panama City last February 5-10, 2024. During the public hearing conducted by the Blue Ribbon Committee Wednesday, February 21, 2024, Cayetano said there is no such things as “finding a balance” by the delegation. They are either pro-tobacco or anti-tobacco. The Philippines was awarded the Dirty Ashtray award for the fifth time by the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (GATC) for its consistent obstruction of global tobacco control efforts. Cayetano also asked the Department of Education (DepEd) if anti-smoking, that smoking is bad, is included in the curriculum. DepEd replied in the affirmative. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)