Ex-gov't execs warn vs. tobacco industry donations

Former senior government officials exhorted state agencies to reject donations from tobacco companies, which they said could "interfere" with the country's health policies.

The ex-officials are pushing the government to uphold the Department of Health (DOH)-Civil Service Commission (CSC) Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2010-001, which seeks to protect the bureaucracy from tobacco industry interests.

They called out the Department of Justice (DOJ) legal opinion over the JMC, which upheld the prohibition on accepting tobacco industry donations as far as officers or employees are concerned, but exempted government agencies and institutions.

The former officials were CSC chairperson Corazon Alma De Leon, CSC chairperson and DOH secretary Dr. Francisco Duque III, CSC commissioner Mary Ann Fernandez Mendoza, and Department of Social Welfare and Development and DOH secretary Dr. Esperanza Cabral, and DOH undersecretary Medeleine Valera. 

Cabral warned that government agencies who will accept donations "risk becoming equally culpable in the damage to citizens and children’s health due to tobacco products and vapes." She cited that every year, 100,000 Filipinos die due to tobacco consumption.

“The government, by taking tobacco money, allows itself to be manipulated and supports the manipulation of the public, specifically the youth who are the target of the tobacco industry as their replacement users," she said.

"Acceptance of donations makes the government complicit in this disaster. The DSWD should reject any partnerships and donations from the tobacco industry. It should maintain its progressive policies of banning the acceptance of donations and rejection of partnerships with the tobacco industry,” Cabral added.

Duque III cautioned that the government will not be able to do its job of protecting Filipinos health if it accepts donations from the tobacco industry.

“The government cannot effectively do its job of warning the public of the dangers of tobacco use, which includes among others, cancers, lung and heart diseases, when at the same time, it is accepting their donations and assistance with open arms," he said.

"The government should have no part in tobacco companies’ public relations strategies to enhance their image and promote their interests. The interests of public health and the tobacco industry are so fundamentally irreconcilable that it is imperative to protect our policymakers and government institutions alike from conflicts of interest so that they can freely decide on what is best for the health of Filipinos," he added.

Mendoza urged the leadership of the CSC and the DOH, as well as the DSWD to stand their ground against tobacco industry interference.

“Civil service rules could not distinguish the agency actions from the actions of its officers or employees. Otherwise, who will be made accountable for violation of civil service rules if we accept the [DOJ] interpretation? It goes against the principle that public office is a public trust,” Mendoza said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News