Excerpts from Interview with Sen. Pia S. Cayetano
Hearing on Tobacco Regulation Act
Sen. Pia on the Tobacco Regulation Act

Q: What is the status of implementation?

PSC: Clearly on the side of tobacco companies in advertising, madaming violations. I have to step back with regard sa kabataan. Ginagawa ba natin ang kailangan. May resistance at may kaalaman sila na masama ang smoking pero general ang kaalaman. Alam nila pero di nila talaga naiintidihan. May kabagalan ang implementation.

Q: What are the controversies on the law?

PSC: On the definition of the word premises. Ang nakalagay sa law, bawal ang advertisement with an exception of those inside the premises. They have expanded the word "premises" to include "tracts of land". But in lay man's term alam naman natin sa loob ito ng tindahan. Pero makakakita ka ng posters and billboards sa labas ng tindahan. Talagang harap- harapan ang violations. Isa pa yung health warnings, nadelay din ung implementation ng four months. Clear ang batas na may deadline at kusang inextend ito ng IAC. As a lawyer, alam natin na walang karapatan ang agency na baguhin ito. Congress lang ang makakagawa nito. Nakakatakot pagpinagsama- sama ang maliliit at malalaking violations na ito. Ano ang pinapapahiwatig nito sa kahalagahan ng batas.

Q: What are the actions to be taken?

PSC: Tinitignan natin ung mga kababayan natin up north who are dependent on the tobacco industry. Tinitignan natin dito sa hearing what the government is doing on alternative crops. Kailangan din pangalagaan ang kabuhayan. But this should not prevent us from implementing the law.

Bakit DTI ang lead agency sa batas na ito. This is a health issue. Sa milk code, DOH ang lead agency.

Madaming violations and we are exploring the immediate administrative actions that must be done like pull out. Sa labeling ang violating companies. Sa advertisement double violation un ung company at ung establishment na pumayag sa pagpost ng advertisement. Andyan din ang selling sa minor at pagpumapayag sa pagsmoke sa enclosed places.