A new United Nations (UN) report has warned that illicit tobacco trade is helping finance non-state armed groups and criminal organizations operating in Mindanao, turning cigarette smuggling from a revenue-loss issue into a broader peace, order, and national security concern. According to the UN...
Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has filed a bill seeking to prohibit gambling advertisements and sponsorships across the country, saying tighter regulation is needed to address the growing risks of compulsive gambling and shield minors and other vulnerable sectors from aggressive marketing. ...
The Philippines must step up law enforcement and gather independent data to combat persistent illicit trade if it wants future tax hikes on nicotine and tobacco to succeed, according to a global tax expert. While the nation has made significant progress in curbing smoking rates over the past...
PMFTC Inc. or Philip Morris Philippines purchases nearly two-thirds of all locally produced tobacco delivered to manufacturers in 2025, reaffirming its role as the country 's largest buyer of Philippine-grown tobacco amid the government 's call for farmers to expand production ahead of...
Manila 2nd district Rep. Rolando Valeriano has urged law enforcement agencies to shift their focus from merely confiscating illicit tobacco products to ensuring that those responsible are successfully prosecuted and convicted. Valeriano, chairman of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety,...
TOKYO (Jiji Press) -- Japan 's health ministry on Thursday (July 9) proposed forgoing tightening regulations on heated tobacco products to the same extent as for cigarettes, as part of a review of measures against passive smoking. A panel of experts set up by the ministry broadly agreed on...
The Caraga region in Mindanao has become the country’s leading hotspot for illegal tobacco trade after posting the highest volume of police seizures in the first six months of 2026. From January to June 2026, the Philippine National Police (PNP) seized P3.31 billion worth of illicit cigarettes in...
The country’s tobacco production is expected to remain unchanged from last year’s output of more than 51 million kilos as farmers scale down their planting amid an overproduction of tobacco, according to the National Tobacco Administration (NTA). NTA Administrator and Chief Executive Officer...
Public health advocates and lawmakers renewed calls for the immediate passage of the proposed Smoke-Free and Vape-Free Environment Bill amid concerns over increasing tobacco and vape use among Filipino youth. The appeal was made during a gathering in Quezon City in line with World No Tobacco Day...
A congressman from up north is calling for an intensified campaign against the illicit tobacco trade, which he says continues to cost the government billions in foregone revenue. According to Abra lone district Rep. JB Bernos, such continued leakage of revenue hampers the delivery of much-needed...
Japan Tobacco International’s (JTI) Philippine unit agreed to purchase an additional 3.32 million kilograms of green-weight tobacco leaf from domestic farmers, moving to stabilize a market reeling from a massive supply glut. The decision comes after overproduction in the northern provinces of...
National Tobacco Administration (NTA) said it has secured the commitment of traders and cigarette manufacturers to purchase all flue-cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco leaves produced this season to protect farmers from a potential buying freeze amid a projected oversupply of the commodity. In a...
