Press Release - Senate Blue Ribbon Chairperson Sen. Pia Cayetano's opening statement

This public hearing of the Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, known as the Blue Ribbon, is hereby called to order.

This Committee will tackle the issues surrounding the participation of the Philippine Delegation in the WHO FCTC COP10, which resulted in the Philippines receiving its 5th Dirty Ashtray Award.

This is based on the privilege speech that this representation delivered last February 14, 2024.

Before I give my opening statement, may I ask that the oath of the resource persons is taken? Can you all stand please?

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I acknowledge the presence of Sen. JV Ejercito. Sen. JV, welcome. The former Chairman of the Committee on Health. Sen. JV, do you have an opening statement?

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Sen JV: Very alarming; kids, young men and women are already on vapes. That's why I am here, we want to make sure this will be regulated. Nagtataka bakit napunta sa DTI.

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Thank you, Sen. JV. I also have a copy of Sen. Joel Villanueva's opening statement. He asked that we insert this in the record. But let me just state that he basically expressed his concern due to tobacco related diseases. And I'll read an excerpt from Sen. Joel.

"Kaya nga po tayo ay nalulungkot at nababahala nang marinig natin na sa ika-limang pagkakataon, nagawaran ng Global Alliance for Tobacco Control ang Pilipinas ng Dirty Ashtray award. Bakit po ito nangyari at bakit hinayaan ng ating mga health officials na mangyari ito? We need to get to the bottom of this because we do not want to harm the country's reputation with regards to strengthening health regulations, including tobacco control. In today's hearing, we want to hear from the officials of the DOH and the other members of the PH delegation on what transpired and to make the responsible persons accountable for this incident."

So we insert his entire speech into the record.

So I will proceed with my opening statement.

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On the event of the WHO FCTC, also known as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Conference held in Panama City Feb. 5-10, the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (GATC) - a civil society alliance group whose mission is to unite the global tobacco control community and serve as the voice of civil