‘Cigarettes Are Eating You Alive’ TV Ad Campaign For A Smoke Free Philippines Launched

 MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) and the New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP), launched on Thursday a national anti-tobacco television ad campaign to highlight the dangers of smoking both to adults and children in the country.
The TV campaign, called “Cigarettes Are Eating You Alive” — will go airing on national television channels starting Aug. 15 of this year.as part of the advocacy to curb smoking and its harmful effects
The mass media campaign was developed both by the DOH and NVAP with technical and financial support from the World Lung Foundation (WLF).


The 15- and 30-second versions of the campaign will also be viewed at the LED billboards of the DOH and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as a multiplier effect.
“This is clearly a best fight and best turn on of investment in tobacco control. This is why we are actively engaged in helping countries around the world implement these campaigns… These don’t just simply create awareness but are meant to change attitude,” said Sandra Mullin, senior vice president for policy, advocacy and communications of WLF.
According to DOH Assistant Secretary Dr. Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial, through the media campaign, they are expecting that more people will be aware and encouraged to quit smoking and understand more the harmful effects of smoking. About 86,000 adult Filipinos aged 30 years and above die annually from tobacco-related diseases.“That is equivalent to one death every 10 minutes,” Ubial said.
She also cited that there are many initiatives that the DOH and its partner advocates have done to reduce smoking in the country in the past years. like the Republic Act No. 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of the Philippines. Another one is the ratification of the World Health Organization-Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2005.
In 2012, the Sin Tax Law was passed which allowed the government to collect higher taxes on cigarettes and alcohol and in effect discouraged smoking.
Since then, more health programs have been implemented by DOH like smoking cessation and hotlines and promoting 100% smoke-free environment in local government units.
Other advocates present at the said launch were MMDA Undersecretary Corazon Jimenez and Dr. Benjamine Lane, acting country representative of WHO-Philippines, who represented Dr. Susan Pineda-Mercado, director for Building Healthy Communities and Populations of WHO Western Pacific Region. 
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