Groups including a prominent congressional bloc and a farmers’ group expressed strong support for the Philippine delegation at the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), praising its firm stance on safeguarding national decision-making and accounting for the needs of tobacco-reliant communities.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Carlos Sorreta, who leads the Philippine delegation, underscored the importance of a measured and responsible approach in pursuing transitions for areas that continue to depend on tobacco farming.
“We must ensure transitions are socially and economically responsible as we work to diversify livelihoods and sustain investments, consistent with our laws and the Convention,” he said.
He further reminded delegates that the Philippines places priority on “sovereignty and different national contexts in the implementation of guidance.”
The Philippine position maintains that FCTC measures are non-binding and intended to guide—not dictate—national policy, particularly where agriculture and rural employment may be affected.
Local organizations welcomed the delegation’s clarity, warning that overly aggressive proposals, if adopted wholesale, could destabilize communities that rely on tobacco for income and local revenue.
The Northern Luzon Alliance (NLA), a congressional bloc representing tobacco-producing provinces, said the Philippine delegation’s position helps ensure that policies under discussion remain grounded in the country’s agricultural realities.
“We applaud the Philippine delegation for standing up for the welfare of farmers, consumers, and communities in tobacco-growing provinces and not agreeing to proposals to end government support for growers, impose quotas, and phase out tobacco sales are unrealistic, overly punitive, and incompatible with the country’s agricultural and economic realities,” the group said.
“Had these proposals been accepted, it would have amounted to an economic death sentence for entire agricultural provinces and the industries linked to them. Such measures would severely harm rural livelihoods, disrupt lawful industries, and jeopardize revenues that fund essential public services,” they added.
The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) likewise emphasized the continued economic role of tobacco in rural areas. “Tobacco remains a primary source of livelihood across nearly 20 provinces… More importantly, this is the only decent source of income many families have known for generations.”
The organization said the Philippine delegation demonstrated an understanding of real-world conditions faced by farmers. “In protecting our farmers and the communities reliant on this crop, the Philippine delegation has done an act of compassion and fairness. They chose to listen to the people who would have suffered first and most. For that, we are deeply grateful. They protected not just our crops, but our dignity and our future.”
