Market and legal data for the vapour sector in the Philippines

Southeast Asia regulatory round-up, July 2024

Written by Freddie Dawson | 26th July 2024

Expect a flurry of regulations on vaping and other alternative nicotine products in Southeast Asia over the second half of 2024. Multiple countries have promised to introduce the first-ever regulations for e-cigarettes ...

Philippine finance secretary mulls the possibility of banning disposable vapes

Written by ECigIntelligence | 10th July 2024

Tax evasion has been put forward as the newest reason to ban disposable vapes in the Philippines. Finance secretary Ralph Recto proposed the ban, citing the non-payment of taxes and the lack of business registration...

PMI ends interest in US vaping market, outsources manufacturing elsewhere

Written by Freddie Dawson | 28th April 2023

Philip Morris International will scale back and partially outsource its vaping business, instead focusing on other tobacco alternatives that can help it become a majority smoke-free revenue company by 2025 ...

Accusations fly, challenge planned after Philippines vaping bill lapses into law

Written by ECigIntelligence | 28th July 2022

Calls for the president to veto the Philippines Vape Regulation Bill – and a change of government – failed to derail the bill as a lack of presidential action by the due date meant it...

Departments of health and education join call for veto of Philippine vaping bill

Written by ECigIntelligence | 1st April 2022

The Department of Health (DOH) and medical groups in the Philippines have found an ally in the Department of Education (DepEd) after the latter backed the DOH’s appeal to president Rodrigo Duterte to veto the...

Philippine physicians lobby president Duterte to veto consolidated vaping bill

Written by ECigIntelligence | 3rd February 2022

The Philippine College of Physicians is lobbying against a bill to regulate vaping and novel tobacco products. They object to a lower age limit and the removal of flavour restrictions ...

ECigIntelligence's 2021 predictions reviewed: did our crystal ball work?

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 27th January 2022

We look back at predictions ECigIntelligence published at the start of 2021. Real events and developments confirmed ECigIntelligence’s analysis in many cases, though Covid delayed things ...

2021 reviewed: false dawn for vaping, or some light showing at the tunnel's end?

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 10th January 2022

Could 2021 be remembered as the year we first started to see some light at the end of the tunnel? Only time will tell for sure, but there were clues ...

'Betrayal' – Philippines health advocates condemn lowering of e-cig purchase age

Written by ECigIntelligence | 1st June 2021

Health advocacy groups in the Philippines have raised concerns about a recently approved bill lowering the minimum age to buy and use e-cigarettes from 21 to 18 ...

Philippine e-cig industry calls for 'more realistic' cost calculations by tax officials

Written by ECigIntelligence | 31st March 2021

The Philippine E-Cigarette Industry Association (PECIA) has called for “more realistic” excise duties on e-cigarettes during a consultation by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) ...

Philippine memorandum lays down rules on labelling of tobacco alternatives

Written by ECigIntelligence | 29th December 2020

A joint memorandum issued by a number of government agencies laying down rules for vapour products in the Philippines establishes new restrictions on flavours and changes to labelling requirements ...

Philippines proposes new restrictions on online retailers, and a ban on advertising

Written by ECigIntelligence | 3rd August 2020

The Food and Drug Administration in the Philippines proposed new restrictions for vaping and heated tobacco products in the revised draft guidelines regulating their manufacture, importation, sale, packaging, advertising, and distribution ...

Philippines on track for strict e-cig regulation, awaits public comments

Written by ECigIntelligence | 18th June 2020

The Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appears to be tightening its grip on the country’s e-cigarette industry with a detailed proposal to regulate vapour products ...

World No Tobacco Day 2020: the debate about harm reduction

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 31st May 2020

World No Tobacco Day provides an opportunity to consider the approach that public health authorities, policymakers, and advocates around the world have towards the role of tobacco-alternatives products ...

Health advocates urge Indonesian president to act against vaping

Written by ECigIntelligence | 27th April 2020

A large grouping of non-profit and health organisations has called on Indonesian president Joko Widodo to take a stricter stance against e-cigarettes and other tobacco products in the battle against COVID-19 ...

Duterte issues further regulation of e-cigarettes in the Philippines

Written by ECigIntelligence | 12th March 2020

Following his order that extended the ban on smoking in public spaces to include vaping, president Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines has now issued a further raft of restrictions on e-cigarettes ...

Rising ‘sin tax’ delivers fresh blow to struggling Philippines e-cig trade

Written by ECigIntelligence | 12th February 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign to increase annually the “sin” taxes on e-cigarettes, vapour products, and alcoholic drinks in the Philippines goes on. The Republic Act 11467, signed by Duterte on 22nd January, combines House Bill...

ECigIntelligence international regulatory live alerts service

Written by ECigIntelligence | 5th December 2019

ECigIntelligence is launching a new International Alerts round-up for Platinum + and Platinum Pro subscribers to enable them to stay on track with regulatory developments in international markets ...

Philippines police arrest vapers after President Duterte orders crackdown

Written by ECigIntelligence | 28th November 2019

Police in the Philippines have arrested more than 200 vapers after president Rodrigo Duterte issued a verbal order to enforce bans on the importation of e-cigarettes and their use in public ...

Philippines Congress puts a block on ‘unnecessary’ plan to ban e-cigarettes

Written by ECigIntelligence | 14th November 2019

A proposal by the Philippines Department of Health (DOH) to ban e-cigarettes in the country has been turned down by lawmakers because it contradicted a previously approved bill on their taxation ...

Philippines e-cig makers in race to comply with new licensing law

Written by ECigIntelligence | 1st October 2019

Vaping companies in the Philippines are entering the final stretch before the government starts monitoring their activities and enforcing new regulations ...

Philippines vapour industry faces hike in taxes before they even come in

Written by ECigIntelligence | 10th September 2019

Barely a month after Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte signed a law setting taxes on heated tobacco and vaping products, the House of Representatives has opted to change the entire tax structure ...

Philippines puts tax on e-cigs and heated tobacco, bans public space use

Written by ECigIntelligence | 5th August 2019

The Philippines is bent on clamping down on public vaping and imposing a new excise tax on heated tobacco and vapour products ...

Philippines looks set for new stance on vaping but future still unclear

Written by Freddie Dawson | 21st August 2018

The Philippines could be set to take a liberal stance on e-cigarettes after the House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution urging the Philippine Department of Health to focus on e-cigarettes to aid smoking cessation...

Vape stores in the Philippines face very different futures as local laws vary widely

Written by ECigIntelligence | 23rd February 2018

As a number of e-cigarette regulatory proposals continue to languish in the Philippine’s legislative system, the the island nation is left without any national regulation for vaping products and widely varying local law...

IQOS flourishes across Southeast Asia – without PMI’s approval

Written by ECigIntelligence | 6th February 2018

The IQOS heated tobacco system is on sale across Southeast Asia, despite doubts over its legality in a number of countries, and the official disapproval of its maker, Philip Morris International ...

Vapers in the Philippines are urged to take a considerate approach

Written by ECigIntelligence | 14th December 2017

Vaping advocates in the Philippines are keen to encourage considerate and responsible use of e-cigarettes, including not vaping where smoking is not allowed, in the hope of forestalling potential tough regulation ...

New senate proposal could finally see e-cigs regulated in the Philippines

Written by Freddie Dawson | 17th August 2017

A new proposal for regulating e-cigarettes in the Philippines has been put forward by a political heavy-hitter in the country’s senate ...

Philippines smoking ban doesn’t apply to e-cigs – but rules are coming

Written by ECigIntelligence | 24th May 2017

A new ban on public smoking in the Philippines will not include e-cigarettes – contrary to initial reports. Moves remain ongoing, however, to bring some regulation to a currently all but unregulated...

Survey finds low usage in Philippines and India

Written by Freddie Dawson | 2nd November 2016

A new survey has found differing levels of awareness and e-cig use in the Philippines and India but neither market has really developed for vaping products as yet....

Framework Convention “ignores its own harm reduction principles”

Written by Barnaby Page | 23rd June 2016

The World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) has been accused of ignoring its own founding document in taking a stance against e-cigarettes, as well as neglecting the governance principles of its...

Filipino legislators propose gentle restrictions on e-cigs

Written by Barnaby Page | 23rd April 2015

E-cigarette regulation is back on the agenda in the Philippines with a proposal to add novel nicotine delivery products to the country’s relatively easy-going tobacco...

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