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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES rea
Quezon City * OATE:

TIME
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._3080

Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE IRENE GAY F. SAULOG

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Smoking causes a myriad of diseases. It adversely affects nearly every organ of the
human body. Developing the habit of smoking at a young age increases the risk of death from
any of these diseases. On a larger scale, smoking imposes a huge strain in the public health
system. The quality of the country’s workforce also suffers if a large segment of the population
smokes. Thus, it is both in the interest of the individual and the State to minimize, if not totally
eradicate smoking.

A logical start to combat smoking is to begin with the youth. The goal should be to
minimize the number of new smokers. No less than the Constitution describes the importance of
the youth: The first part of Article II, Section 13 provides that:
The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall
Promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-
being.

The effort to curb smoking among the youth also forms part of the State policy regarding
health in general, as stated in Article II, Section 15 of the Constitution:
Section 15. The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the
people and instill health consciousness among them.


Despite the passage of the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, smoking among the youth
remains a persistent problem. One of the studies that documented this is the Global Youth
Tobacco Survey. The 2015 report found that 31.6% of the students aged 13-15 years old have
tried smoking tobacco. 14.5% are described as current smokers or those who have smoked
anytime within the past 30 days. It has to be emphasized that the study only captured a segment
of the youth, Combining the figures with the smokers from the other youth age brackets would
clearly yield a much higher number of youth smokers.

The said study also reported that 60.4% of the cigarette smokers obtained their cigarette
from a store or shop.

This bill aims to address these disturbing findings by increasing the penalties for the sale
of tobacco products to minors. It is hoped that doing so would contribute to minimizing, if not
eliminating smoking among the youth. It is in our nation’s best interest that we preserve the
health of the Filipino youth.

IRENE GAY F, SAULOG
Kalinga Party-list


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 3080

Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE IRENE GAY F. SAULOG

AN ACT
MODIFYING THE PENALTIES IN THE SALE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS TO
MINORS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 32 (B) OF REPUBLIC ACT NO.
9211, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “TOBACCO REGULATION ACT OF 2003”

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 32 (b) of Republic Act No. 9211 is hereby amended to read as
follows:
b. Violation of Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11—On the first offense, any person or any
business entity or establishment selling to, distributing or purchasing a cigarette or
any other tobacco products for a minor shall be fined the amount of not less than
[Five thousand pesos (Php5,000.00)] TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND PESOS
(Php25,000.00) or an imprisonment of not more than thirty (30) days, upon the
discretion of the court. For succeeding offenses, both penalties shall apply in
addition to the revocation of business licenses or permits in the case of a business
entity or establishment.

If the violation is by an establishment of business entity, the owner, president,
manager, or the most senior officers thereof shall be held liable for the offense.


If @ minor is caught selling, buying or smoking cigarettes or any other tobacco
products, the provisions of Article 189 of Presidential Decree No. 603 otherwise
known as The Child and Youth Welfare Code, as amended, shall apply.

SEC. 2. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after the completion of
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,