Philippine officials helped stall critical global health negotiations by echoing Big Tobacco’s playbook and placing economic interests above public health.
María Pérez and Matthew Chapman report forThe Examination.
In short:
- At the 2024 World Health Organization tobacco treaty talks in Panama, the Philippines joined other tobacco-growing nations to block the formation of a science-led expert group, pushing instead for looser oversight more favorable to industry.
- Internal documents revealed that key Filipino government departments prioritized protecting tobacco profits over public health, even proposing an unprecedented system that would reduce the power of the treaty's governing body.
- The industry’s influence was visible far beyond the Philippines, with lobbyists from Philip Morris and British American Tobacco working hotel lobbies, and former trade ministers consulting for Big Tobacco while countries formed their official stances.
Key quote:
“It is a great embarrassment... that the representatives for us, for the Philippines, stood before a global audience of mostly health advocates, and they advocated for the tobacco industry.”
— Sen. Pia Cayetano, chair of the Philippine Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigating the delegation's behavior at the conference
Why this matters:
In a world still grappling with the health costs of smoking — from lung cancer to cardiovascular disease — the Panama negotiations became a chilling reminder: The tobacco industry hasn’t just survived; it’s still shaping the rules. When public health policy becomes a vehicle for corporate profit, it jeopardizes global health gains and the integrity of international treaties.
Read more: People puffing e-cigs are more likely to have heart attacks, strokes and depression
