Twelfth Congress
Second Regular Session
Begun held in Metro Manila on Monday, the twenty-second day of July, two thousand two
Republic Act No. 9211 June 23, 2003
AN ACT REGULATING THE PACKAGING, USE, SALE DISTRIBUTION AND
ADVERTISEMENTS OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003."
Section 2. Policy - it is the policy of the State to protect the populace from hazardous products and promote the right to health and instill health consciousness among them. It is also the policy of the State, consistent with the Constitutional ideal to promote the general welfare, to safeguard the Interests of the workers and other stakeholders in the tobacco industry. For these purposes, the government shall institute a balanced policy whereby the use, sale, and advertisements of tobacco products shall be regulated in order to promote a healthful environment and protect the citizens from the hazards of tobacco smoke, and at the same time ensure that the interest of tobacco farmers, growers, workers and stakeholders are not adversely compromised.
Section 3. Purpose - It is the main thrust of this Act to:
a. Promote a healthful environment;
b. Inform the public of the health risks associated with cigarette smoking and tobacco use;
c. Regulate and subsequently ban all tobacco advertisements and sponsorships;
d. Regulate the labeling of tobacco products;
e. Protect the youth from being initiated to cigarette smoking and tobacco use by prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors;
f. Assists and encourage Filipino tobacco farmers to cultivate alternative agricultural crops to prevent economic dislocation; and
g. Create an Inter-Agency Committee on Tobacco (IAC-Tobacco) to oversee the implementation of the provision of this Act.
Section 4.