Suportado ang youth access prevention... Lehitimong vape retailers, nananawagan ng mas maigting na enforcement vs. illegal sellers

ni Chit Luna @News | May 8, 2026

Photo: Binigyang-diin ni Sen. Hontiveros na mahalaga ang balanse sa ginagawa ng Senate committee. “The onus right now is mostly on us legislators to come up with the best possible amendment or change to the law, meeting those different interests." Image: Senate of the Philippines / Philippine E-cigarette Industry Association

Inendorso ng Philippine E-Cigarette Industry Association (PECIA) ang mas mahigpit na regulatory enforcement, mga hakbang para pigilan ang youth access, at pakikipagtulungan sa gobyerno, habang nananawagan sa mga mambabatas na huwag parusahan ang mga sumusunod sa batas dahil sa mga paglabag ng illicit traders.

Sa pagdinig ng Senado ngayong araw hinggil sa Vape Law, kinilala ni PECIA president na si Joey Dulay ang magkakaparehong pangamba ukol sa youth access sa vapor products, ngunit iginiit na nasa pagpapatupad ng kasalukuyang regulasyon ang solusyon, habang nagbabala laban sa mga pagbabago na maaaring magdulot ng destabilization sa mga lehitimong negosyo.

Isinagawa ng Committee on Health and Demography at ng Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship ang pagdinig, na pinamunuan ni Risa Hontiveros.

Binigyang-diin ni Sen. Hontiveros na mahalaga ang balanse sa ginagawa ng Senate committee. “The onus right now is mostly on us legislators to come up with the best possible amendment or change to the law, meeting those different interests,” she said. “Let me be clear: This is not anti-industry. This is pro-health, pro-youth. Hindi ito tungkol sa produkto. Ito ay tungkol sa tao.”

Iginiit ni Dulay na sapat na ang mga probisyon ng R.A. 11900 dahil mayroon na itong age restrictions, product standards, at penalties, at sinabi niyang ang tunay na kakulangan ay nasa enforcement, hindi sa batas mismo.

Tinukoy niya ang walang habas na pagkalat ng illicit vape products bilang pangunahing dahilan ng youth access at ng mga panganib na dulot nito.

“The market is flooded with unregistered, non-compliant illegal vape products, so the real gap is not in the current law but in its enforcement, particularly against illicit products and black-market retailers,” Dulay said. “These are the devices young people are using and pose the greatest danger.”

Dagdag pa niya, “There are two types of sellers in the market, a compliant industry and an illicit one. Treating all vape sellers as if they are the same is not appropriate. From our perspective, legitimate businesses are being unfairly lumped together with illicit products.”

Sinabi ni Dulay na bagama’t maaaring maganda ang layunin ng mas mahihigpit na hakbang, hindi nito nasosolusyunan ang ugat ng problema at maaari pang makapagpahina sa mga sumusunod sa batas na negosyo. “The illicit industry operates outside the regulatory framework. They do not care whether the minimum age is set at 25, 28, or 31—they simply ignore it. If flavors are restricted, they ignore that as well. Because they do not comply, they also do not pay taxes, do not register with the DTI [Department of Trade and Industry], and bypass proper channels, going straight to the market.”

Binigyang-diin ni Dulay na nararapat magkaroon ng balanseng pagtrato sa lehitimong vape industry. “We support efforts to prevent youth uptake, but we also need government support for adult smokers like us,” he said.

Binigyang-diin ng PECIA, na kumakatawan sa mahigit 300 kumpanya at libu-libong manggagawang Pilipino, na hindi dapat maparusahan ang mga lehitimong negosyo dahil sa maling gawain ng illicit operators, habang nananawagan ng mas maigting na aksyon laban sa illegal supply chains.

“Our position is that there must be a balance between maintaining a working law and punishing those who operate illegally. The strongest protection for youth comes from strong enforcement of balanced regulation that removes illegal supply, not from repeatedly reopening or altering the law,” Dulay said.

Dagdag pa niya, “We are one with civil society, health groups, and parents. Your concern on youth access is also our concern. Let us all work together in addressing this problem. You need to report those who are selling to the youth and selling unlicensed vapes that are attractive to the youth.”

Binigyang-diin ni Dulay na handa ang PECIA na makipagtulungan nang mas malapit sa enforcement agencies upang maparusahan ang mga lumalabag. “If you report retailers selling to minors or offering unlicensed products, we will work with the DTI and law enforcement agencies to go after these violators.”

Nanawagan din ang mga kinatawan ng mga pangunahing e-commerce platforms ng mas matibay na pakikipagtulungan sa regulators upang palakasin ang oversight at enforcement online.

Binigyang-diin ni Atty. Jaimmie Hans-Segovia, na kumakatawan sa Shopee Philippines, ang safeguards ng platform at ang papel nito sa shared responsibility para sa enforcement. “We acknowledge that bad actors continue to test safeguards across all online platforms, often by misrepresenting products or disguising listings. We believe that enforcement is more most effective when platforms and regulators operate from shared specific reference points.”

Samantala, sinabi ni John Kenneth Estiller, na nagsalita para sa Lazada Philippines, na aktibo ang platform sa pagpapatupad ng enforcement measures at pakikipagtulungan sa mga awtoridad upang palakasin ang compliance. “We recognize that the open nature of e-commerce can be exploited by bad actors, but we also believe that the responsible platforms have a duty, and an opportunity to be part of the solution.”