Tobacco.org

• 5,000 hectares of tobacco farms eyed for intensified rice growing 

Some 5,000 hectares of tobacco farms are being eyed as additional areas for palay growing to help meet the rice requirements of tobacco farmers in line with the Arroyo administration’s accelerated efforts to increase palay harvest and mitigate the effect of a food crisis that is affecting the whole world.

The National Tobacco Administration (NTA) said the other day a 26,000-strong umbrella group of tobacco farmers led by the Philippine Association of Tobacco-Based Cooperatives (PATCO) and other industry stakeholders are ready to support an intensified palay production program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in response to this global problem.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap lauded the support of the major stakeholders in the tobacco industry-- cigarette manufacturers, tobacco buyers and exporters, redrying plant and trading center operators, contract growers or farmers -- for the department’s heightened moves to achieve record high in palay harvests and raise the national self-sufficiency level in rice from 92.38 percent this year to 98 percent in 2010.

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Tobacco ad billboards demolished 

A mobile court during an anti-smoking drive yesterday knocked down 11 illegal billboards of tobacco products installed in 11 shops in Chouddagram area in Comilla.

It also fined the shop owners a total of Tk 6,400 for violating the 'Smoking and Tobacco Control Act-2005' which prohibits advertising of tobacco products in leaflets, handbills and billboards.

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New anti-smoking mascot replaces Yosi Kadiri 

First Posted 08:53pm (Mla time) 04/24/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- Move over, Yosi Kadiri.

Meet QuitsS, the dancing and bouncing mascot that debuted this week as the clean-cut symbol of the new Quit Smoking Support (QuitsS) program, a workplace-based project batting for a holistic approach to curbing the habit among employees.

Blue-eyed QuitsS jump-started on Tuesday evening the three-year engagement between its creator, the corporate foundation Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), and nine companies for a customized anti-smoking program.

QuitsS is the flip side of the tarred monster known as Yosi Kadiri that puffed its way into public consciousness in the ’90s.

While ashen Yosi prompted yucks, QuitsS prides itself as the nicotine-free mascot next door, smiling inside his giant red Q of a body topped with a white cap and brandishing a cracked cigarette stick.

QuitsS’ image is expected to grace companies where the program will be implemented until December 2010, when they aim to see full-fledged quitters on their payroll.

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Fortune picks DraftFCB ahead of tobacco ad ban 

Fortune Tobacco has appointed DraftFCB as creative agency for its Hope cigarette brand in the Philippines following a credentials pitch involving incumbent J.Romero and two other shops.

According to Arnold Liong, MD of DraftFCB Philippines, the cigarette brand was looking for a "fresh perspective" and to reposition its brand following a packaging revamp.

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Wenceslao: Smoking ban, Minglanilla and a vice mayor 

First is the complaint of reader Ronald Veloso, who called me up to complain about people smoking in buses.

"Capitol must find ways to implement the ban on this practice," Veloso said.

He added that for starters, "no smoking" notices should be made prominent inside passenger vehicles. I say Mr. Veloso's lament is legitimate. It looks like the implementation of the smoking ban in passenger buses and jeepeneys has been neglected for other concerns.

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• Tobacco control group hits 7-11, cigarette firm  

A group of tobacco control advocates Thursday threatened to file criminal charges against convenience store chain 7-Eleven and cigarette maker Fortune Tobacco Corp. for allegedly violating the ban on outdoor tobacco advertising.

Maricar Limpin, executive director of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance of the Philippines (FCAP), said in a statement that the group had filed a complaint with the Inter-Agency Committee-Tobacco (IAC-T) headed by the Department of Trade and Industry.

The FCAP is a nongovernmental coalition of doctors, medical experts and civil society groups working to curb “the tobacco epidemic.”

Limpin, a medical doctor, said FCAP discovered that tobacco ads in the form of movable banners were openly displayed outside 7-Eleven stores.

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Tobacco, rice production not in conflict in Ilocos Sur  

Top provincial officials would be meeting on Monday here to tackle the rice crisis.

Rep. Eric Singson said that the province is not panicking . . .

He, however, said that the "Food Summit," which will be held at the Provincial Capitol between Gov. Deogracias Savellano, Reps. Ronald and Eric Singson and the mayors would strategize the food security plan of Ilocos Sur.

Rep. Eric Singson belied the claims of The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance- Philippines (FCAP) that the province should stop planting tobacco, which is incidentally the cash crop of the 2nd District of Ilocos Sur, and plant rice instead. Ilocos Sur is the biggest grower of Virginia Tobacco.

I don't see any conflict, Singson said.

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LETTER: The tobacco industry and truth in advertising 

Not only is it unfair, but it is also intentionally deceptive of the tobacco industry to continue to promote its harmful and lethal products portrayed through "cool", "sexy" or "sophisticated" imagery.

It is about time all Asean governments put an end to all forms of direct and indirect tobacco advertising, promotions and sponsorship, because where tobacco companies are concerned, there is no such thing as "truth in advertising".

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• City marks 110th year with tobacco fest 

CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur: While the ongoing festivities mark the 110th anniversary of the city, “Ikkis ti Candon” or the Cry of Candon, which was when Ilocano revolutionaries continued the struggle for Philippine Independence, the current tobacco festival is in recognition of the tobacco industry as the savior of the city’s economy.

“We are not promoting cigarette-smoking,” said Deputy Speaker Eric Singson. “We are just acknow­ledging the role of tobacco in our culture and economy.”

The Tobacco Festival features the Panagdubla or the age-old industry of rolling tobaccos.

As in the past years, this is a festival for senior citizens in the city, with one contestant in her 90s and two in their 80s. Most of the participants are in their 60s and 70s.

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Ilocos farmers benefit from high buying price of flu-cured Virginia tobacco leaf 

Tobacco farmers were highly benefited from the continuous increase of the buying price of the flue-cured Virginia tobacco in the province, it was learned.

According to Estrella De Peralta, Branch Manager of the National Tobacco Administration (NTA), based in Candon City, the trading center of the Fortune Tobacco Corporation in Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur, the buying price per kilo of Class AA full - flavor type of flu -cured Virginia tobacco leaves reached P73. 00 or a P12.00 increase from its original approved P61.00 floor price during the recently concluded tripartite conference.

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TORREVILLAS: No smoking, please 

Smoking is a no-no in many households, but that is not so faithfully resolved in some.

So conscientious non-smokers are ardently for the implementation and enforcement of smoking bans. We should not be discouraged by relatives who make a pushing smokehouse of our dwellings and we should pray that they should take into consideration the well-being of other members of the household.

Ms. Soe Nyunt ,World Health Organization representative in the Philippines, recently presented the WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2008 which shows that tobacco already kills 5.4 million people a year . . .

On the institutional level, acting on the recommendation of Betty Lou S. Penera, Philippine Information Agency staff director for planning and communication research, who cited agreements made at a multi-sectoral planning workshop, Secretary Conrado A. Limcaoco Jr. issued a memorandum to all regional directors and staff directors and the rank and file, to fully implement RA 9211. The memo said that, to comply with the law, the PIA building is to be declared a Smoke-Free building.

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BAT Shelves $48 Million Philippine Investment, Mirror Says 

British American Tobacco Plc shelved a 2 billion peso ($48 million) investment in the Philippines after the government ruled its Pall Mall brand is subject to the highest excise tax rate, BusinessMirror reported.

The Department of Finance said Pall Mall was subject to the 26.06 peso a pack excise tax, reversing Finance Undersecretary Gaudencio Mendoza's earlier ruling that the brand was subject the 6.74 peso a pack mid-price excise tax, the newspaper said.

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BAT Not Commenting On Report It Scrapped Philippine Project 

British American Tobacco on Tuesday declined to comment on reports it is canceling a planned $50 million plant in the Philippines due to a tax dispute.

The Business Mirror newspaper said BAT had given "official notice" that it had withdrawn plans to open a new cigarette manufacturing facility with an initial investment of $50 million.

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• BAT Shelves $48 Million Philippine Investment, Mirror Says 

British American Tobacco Plc shelved a 2 billion peso ($48 million) investment in the Philippines after the government ruled its Pall Mall brand is subject to the highest excise tax rate, BusinessMirror reported.

The Department of Finance said Pall Mall was subject to the 26.06 peso a pack excise tax, reversing Finance Undersecretary Gaudencio Mendoza's earlier ruling that the brand was subject the 6.74 peso a pack mid-price excise tax, the newspaper said.

Finance Secretary Gary Teves yesterday said Mendoza has resigned, without giving further details

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• Stop ‘Fronting’ for Tobacco Companies, Government Urged  

An anti-tobacco group today asked the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to strictly adhere to the provisions of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) and urged the Philippine government to stop "fronting for the selfish business interests of big-time multi-national tobacco corporations."

Dr. Maricar Limpin, Executive Director of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance- Philippines (FCAP), issued the call as she criticized the move of DTI to file a case against Thailand before the World Trade Organization (WTO) for allegedly imposing high tariffs on Philip Morris products produced in the Philippines.

After failing to resolve the trade row through diplomatic channels, the Philippine government, through DTI Undersecretary Thomas Aquino has filed a case versus Thailand, accusing Bangkok of discriminating against Manila's cigarette exports to protect a state-owned tobacco monopoly.

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