Health Advocates Push Congress to Pass Plain Packaging Law

Public health and environmental groups are urging the newly elected 20th Congress to immediately enact the Plain Packaging Bill for tobacco and electronic smoking devices (ESDs) to protect Filipino youth from addiction and deceptive marketing.

The call comes following the 2025 midterm elections, with advocates emphasizing the urgent need for legislation that bans all branding elements on cigarette and vape product packaging, replacing them with standardized designs and prominent health warnings.

“The tobacco and vape industries are still targeting our children with flashy, deceptive packaging because the current laws only require graphic health warnings to be printed on the lower half surface of the packs, and are often obscured when being sold in stores,” said Dr. Maricar Limpin, Executive Director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Philippines.

Health experts noted that the Philippines has fallen behind its ASEAN neighbors in tobacco control, with only minimal packaging requirements.

“The Philippines has one of the smallest health warnings on tobacco packaging in the ASEAN, in addition to being the only ASEAN country that places its graphic warnings on the lower half of the pack,” said Dr. Ulysses Dorotheo, Executive Director of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA).

By contrast, countries like Thailand, which mandates 85% of pack space for graphic warnings, and Australia, which pioneered plain packaging, have reported significant declines in youth smoking rates.

“We cannot allow another Congress to ignore this deadly tactic of designing tobacco packs to appeal to the young,” Dr. Limpin stressed. “Ipasa ang Plain Packaging Bill ngayon na! Our youth deserve protection, not addiction.”

ASH Philippines argues that plain packaging removes the visual appeal of cigarettes and vapes by eliminating all logos, colors, and brand images—leaving only the product name in a standard font and required health warnings.

The bill also seeks to include ESDs such as vapes and heated tobacco products, whose colorful designs and candy-flavored variants have been criticized as marketing tools targeting teenagers.

Advocates say the legislation aligns with the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), to which the Philippines is a signatory.

The EcoWaste Coalition joined the push, citing the environmental toll of tobacco and vape consumption.

“Cigarette butts and packaging remain to be one of the most littered products on our streets and oceans, with the addition of discarded vape consumables,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of EcoWaste Coalition.

“Plain packaging is seen to reduce consumption and thus help reduce waste stream coming from these products. Less addiction means less pollution,” Lucero added.

Health advocates warn that delaying the passage of plain packaging legislation will allow the continued normalization of smoking and vaping among Filipino youth.

Recent data show that both smoking and vaping rates in the Philippines are rising, particularly among adolescents aged 13 to 17, raising alarms across the public health sector.

The Plain Packaging Bill, first proposed in previous Congresses, has yet to progress to final reading, despite endorsements from health experts, civil society groups, and educators.

Supporters believe that with new leadership in both houses, the 20th Congress has an opportunity to enact landmark legislation that could reverse harmful trends.

 

The key goals of the proposed bill include:

-Removing the visual appeal of tobacco and vape products

-Emphasizing the health harms of smoking and vaping

-Preventing youth from starting these habits

-Reducing long-term health and environmental costs

-Aiding law enforcement in identifying illicit products

 

ASH Philippines and partner organizations are calling on legislators to:

-File and pass the Plain Packaging Bill without delay

-Ensure ESDs are explicitly included in the legislation

-Honor their duty to protect public health, especially for the youth