Senator Pia Cayetano criticized the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) over its lack of urgency to enforce provisions of the Vape Law or Republic Act No. 11900.
Cayetano noted that up until now the DTI has yet to release mechanisms on the use of vapes and other non-nicotine products despite the June 5, 2024 deadline for the registration of vape products.
The chairperson of the Senate blue ribbon committee also noted that vape companies are not positioning their products as a reduced risk product, a matter which is perilous to over-all public health.
Cayetano was also riled after learning that the DTI has requested for additional testing facilities for these items under the 2025 national budget when the deadline for the registration of vape products is just two months away this year.
“Nung 2020 pa lang sinabi ko na sa kanila may balak ba ang DTI na gawin ng maayos ang kanilang trabaho? Wala. Bakit ngayon pa lang 2025? Bakit? Bakit? Kasi deadline na (I’ve been asking the DTI since 2020 if it has plans to improve on their job? None. Why request for the budget in 2025? Why? Because they’re already hitting the deadline),” Cayetano lamented during the Senate hearing last Wednesday, April 24 regarding the Philippines’ gaining the Dirty Ashtray award.
“My god, is that the kind of public service we give the people? You’re supposed to be able to regulate those products by 2025 and then sa 2025 budget ka mag re request?” she pointed out.
Cayetano said the DTI secretary Alfredo Pascual should have been aware that the budget should have been requested years ago and enlisted the help of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the regulation of vape and other similar products.
“I am informing DTI and the secretary, who no less knows this, I told him to prioritize this. I also told him that he is not capable to do this, and should ask the help of the FDA,” she told DTI officials during the hearing.
“Sinabi ko na yun (I’ve said that before). So don’t tell me that you are asking for a bduget because that budget should have been requested years ago and that does not excuse DTI from doing a sloppy job because they do not have the mandate,” she stressed.
Also, during the hearing, the senator reiterated her consistent stance against the provision of the Vape Law assigning the DTI as the lead agency over the Department of Health (DOH).
Cayetano reiterated her belief the DOH is better equipped and more qualified to implement the law concerning such products.