Philippine President Marcos Reaffirms Commitment to Protect Public Health

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Philippine President Marcos reaffirmed his commitment to protect public health, stressing the importance of cracking down on the smuggling of e-cigarettes. He believes that public health is more important than tax revenue losses.

Marcos pointed out that smuggling e-cigarettes poses a serious threat to public health, with packaging designs clearly targeting minors, further endangering the health of users.

Since 2023, the Filipino authorities have steadily intercepted an increasing number of smuggled e-cigarettes, with the amount seized in 2024 doubling compared to the previous year.

According to a report from mb on April 7, Philippine President Marcos reiterated his commitment to protecting public health, stating that this is more important than recouping tax losses from smuggling. Marcos made the statement while overseeing the inspection and destruction of smuggled e-cigarette products at the Manila Customs Bureau (BOC). In his speech, he pointed out that the seized products pose a serious threat to public health.

He said that, compared to the government's loss of tax revenue, we should pay more attention to the health issues that these e-cigarette products may cause.

We are unable to ascertain the origin and composition of these smuggled products.

In the past 10 operations, the Manila Port, Manila International Container Port, and Customs Intelligence Group collectively seized 2,977,925 e-cigarettes and their accessories, valued at approximately 3.26 billion Philippine pesos ($56.9 million).

Marcos warned that some e-cigarette liquids contain harmful substances. "Some products have been found to contain toxins after inspection, further endangering the health of users.

What is more concerning to him, however, is the marketing tactics employed for these products. The President pointed out that many products' packaging designs clearly target minors.

Particularly concerning is that these packages appear to be intended for children.

Marcos praised the coordinated efforts of various government agencies, noting a steady increase in the number of smuggled e-cigarettes seized since 2023.

In 2023, we seized approximately over 3 billion pesos (52.3 million dollars) worth of smuggled e-cigarettes. In 2024, the amount of seized illegal e-cigarettes doubled. From January to March 2025, we are also moving towards intercepting more illegal e-cigarettes.

Keep up the good work. We are beginning to see the results of your efforts. Keep working hard.

According to a statement from the presidential palace, the Philippines' customs department seized approximately 6.658 billion pesos (around 100 million USD) worth of goods in 48 operations targeting the smuggling of e-cigarettes in 2024.