WHO bestows 'World No Tobacco Day' award to Pia Cayetano
Published May 31, 2023 06:14 am
Senator Pia Cayetano has received the prestigious World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) Award from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, May 31.
Senator Pia Cayetano accepts the World No Tobacco Day Award from World Health Organization (WHO) Representative Dr. Rui Paulo de Jesus at the Senate of the Philippines. (Photo by O/S Pia Cayetano)
Cayetano accepted the award in a ceremony held at the Senate. Known for advocating the Sin Tax Reform Act and Graphic Health Warning Law, Cayetano shared it was her parents who first instilled in her the importance of healthy living. "I had the pleasure of growing up in a very healthy environment. Our father lived a very active and healthy lifestyle, and so did my mom. My brothers and I were very much guided by those principles. So it was never difficult for me to take up this cause," Cayetano recounted in her acceptance speech. Likewise, the senator thanked fellow advocates who guided her in fighting for health reforms and tobacco control measures through the years. Among those she cited were: Dr. Maricar Limpin, director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Philippines; Dr. Yul Dorotheo, executive director of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA); Dr. Antonio Dans, professor at the University of Philippines College of Medicine; as well as the policy think-tank, Action for Economic Reforms (AER). “This award was a surprise to me, but I am very happy to accept it among friends who made this opportunity for me to fight for a cause that also became very dear to me,” Cayetano noted. “It’s an honor, but I consider it a happy burden also that I will carry, as I continue to speak up about what we need to do, what we need to ban, and what we need to regulate, in any opportunity that I get," added the senator. The lawmaker has vowed to continue monitoring compliance with restrictions on sin products, including cigarettes and vapes. The WHO Western Pacific Regional Office also lauded Cayetano for her health advocacy efforts in its website: "The senator’s work has focused on preserving the regulatory authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and reducing the affordability and accessibility (for youths) of tobacco products." Cayetano said the challenge to advocates now is to ensure that current policies on smoking and vaping are strictly enforced and constantly reviewed to protect the people, especially the youth. "The future belongs to our youth. And they can only have a future that we carve out for them now. We want to build a strong, healthy foundation for our youth, so that when they become parents, and grandparents, they will do the same," she stressed. Cayetano is the only Filipino and individual chosen by WHO among this year's WNTD recipients in the Western Pacific.
Senator Pia Cayetano accepts the World No Tobacco Day Award from World Health Organization (WHO) Representative Dr. Rui Paulo de Jesus at the Senate of the Philippines. (Photo by O/S Pia Cayetano)
Cayetano accepted the award in a ceremony held at the Senate. Known for advocating the Sin Tax Reform Act and Graphic Health Warning Law, Cayetano shared it was her parents who first instilled in her the importance of healthy living. "I had the pleasure of growing up in a very healthy environment. Our father lived a very active and healthy lifestyle, and so did my mom. My brothers and I were very much guided by those principles. So it was never difficult for me to take up this cause," Cayetano recounted in her acceptance speech. Likewise, the senator thanked fellow advocates who guided her in fighting for health reforms and tobacco control measures through the years. Among those she cited were: Dr. Maricar Limpin, director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Philippines; Dr. Yul Dorotheo, executive director of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA); Dr. Antonio Dans, professor at the University of Philippines College of Medicine; as well as the policy think-tank, Action for Economic Reforms (AER). “This award was a surprise to me, but I am very happy to accept it among friends who made this opportunity for me to fight for a cause that also became very dear to me,” Cayetano noted. “It’s an honor, but I consider it a happy burden also that I will carry, as I continue to speak up about what we need to do, what we need to ban, and what we need to regulate, in any opportunity that I get," added the senator. The lawmaker has vowed to continue monitoring compliance with restrictions on sin products, including cigarettes and vapes. The WHO Western Pacific Regional Office also lauded Cayetano for her health advocacy efforts in its website: "The senator’s work has focused on preserving the regulatory authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and reducing the affordability and accessibility (for youths) of tobacco products." Cayetano said the challenge to advocates now is to ensure that current policies on smoking and vaping are strictly enforced and constantly reviewed to protect the people, especially the youth. "The future belongs to our youth. And they can only have a future that we carve out for them now. We want to build a strong, healthy foundation for our youth, so that when they become parents, and grandparents, they will do the same," she stressed. Cayetano is the only Filipino and individual chosen by WHO among this year's WNTD recipients in the Western Pacific.