Vape bill contradicts Duterte stand versus vapes, e-cigs

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“President Duterte will not undo his work versus addiction.”


This was the statement of public interest law group ImagineLaw on Wednesday as Congress is set to transmit to Malacañan the consolidated version of Vaporized Nicotine Products Regulation Act, otherwise known as the Vape Bill. “He will not renege on his promise to protect young people from the harms of vapes and e-cigarettes,” the law group added.

The measure seeks to lower the age of accessibility of vape and e-cigarette products from the current 21 years old to 18 years old. It will also transfer the regulatory powers over said products from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), among other regressive provisions.

The measure has been heavily criticized by the Department of Health and medical associations. Health advocates also appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to veto the measure.

“The Vape Bill is a betrayal of public health and directly contradicts the President’s strong stance against vaping, e-cigarette use, and addictive substances,” said ImagineLaw Executive Director Atty. Sophia San Luis. The law group recalled that the President issued Executive Order No. 26 which established smoke-free environments in 2017 and declared that ‘public health takes precedence over any commercial and business interest’.

“The President also previously issued Executive Order No. 106 that strengthened regulations on vape and e-cigarette products and established policies to protect the public, including recognizing that long-term use of these products is expected to increase the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, possible cardiovascular disease, and other diseases,” San Luis also said.

“We expect the President to maintain his strong stance against vapes and e-cigarettes and veto the measure,” she added. “If President Duterte signs the Vape Bill into law, it will undo his years of work in protecting the youth and the public from the harms of smoking, vapes, e-cigarettes, and addiction,” San Luis said.

Unvaccinated workers will be allowed 30 days from January 26 to ride public transportation

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Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated workers in industries and establishments allowed to operate in the National Capital Region (NCR) under the existing COVID-19 Alert Level 3 status will only be given 30 days from 26 January 2022 to continue riding public transportation and public utility vehicles (PUVs) in entering, exiting, and going around the metropolis.This, after Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año, and Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Art Tugade, discussed in an interagency meeting on Friday, January 21, and concurred to come up with the decision after looking into the country’s vaccination data.

DOTr Undersecretary for Administrative Service and official representative to the IATF Artemio Tuazon Jr. said that the decision intends to protect unvaccinated and partially vaccinated workers who are using public transportation from contracting COVID-19 and later developing severe infections.

“This is to ensure that only those fully protected against COVID-19 are safe from using public transport. Data show that workers who remain unvaccinated against the virus that causes COVID-19 are more vulnerable to severe and critical infections,” Usec. Tuazon explained.

Usec. Tuazon said that 30 days following the announcement of the new protocol, only workers in the NCR who are fully vaccinated (those who have completed the 2-dose primary series vaccination such as for the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, or Moderna brands; or the one-dose vaccination such as for the Janssen brand) are allowed to use public transportation.

Within the 30-day window, partially vaccinated workers are still allowed to board public transportation. However, since partially unvaccinated individuals are still at risk given that they do not have complete protection against the virus as clarified by the Health Department, they are also not allowed to use public transportation if vaccination remains incomplete within the 30-day window.

Tuazon added that the joint decision made by the DOLE, DILG, and the DOTr supports the government’s ongoing thrust to ramp up vaccination efforts, especially amid the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

“This joint decision is also meant to support the vaccination drive of the entire government. We want our workers to get fully vaccinated especially now that there is no longer a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, and there is a threat of highly transmissible variants of the virus. We are giving our workers the time to get themselves vaccinated,” Tuazon added.

The DOTr official, however, clarified that the joint decision made by the DOLE, DILG, and the DOTr is not discriminatory.

“As jointly decided by the DOLE, DILG and DOTr, workers who will remain unvaccinated 30 days after the announcement are not being barred from their workplaces. They are simply not allowed to use public transportation, but can still use other means such as active transport, private vehicles, or company shuttle services,” said Usec Tuazon.

NTC gives Villar-led Advanced Media Broadcasting System provisional authority to operate Channel 16 and Channel 2

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The Channel 2 frequency on free TV will no longer belong to ABS-CBN. It will soon be operated by the Villars. The Channel 2 frequency formerly under the ABS-CBN Corp. has been given by the National Telecommunications Commission (NYC) to the Villar-led Advanced Media Broadcasting System Inc. The NTC has confirmed that Villar's Advanced Media Broadcasting System has been given a provisional authority to operate Channel 16, and Channel 2 (temporarily until 2023).

It is unclear how exactly a 16-year-old application was revived, let alone be granted a PA over a highly controversial frequency. In 2020, AMBS struggled due to the pandemic. Villar group's Planet Cable came in. The transaction is subject to legislative approval.

In a September 2021 Senate hearing, Senator Grace Poe questioned AMBS what it intends to do in TV.

AMBS answered to "venture into 'TeleRadyo' type."

Poe: So news?

AMBS: It could be.. but more of music, which is the core mission of the station.

In the NTC order, it said that it sought the legal opinion of the DOJ and the Office of Executive Secretary. Villar's daughter-in-law Emmeline Aglipay-Villar is DOJ undersecretary.

In the middle of news about the elections—specifically, presidential debates and interviews—Advanced Media Broadcasting System Inc., a Villar-linked company, has been granted a "test broadcast" permit to take over ABS-CBN's previous Channel 2 frequency. 

From Kapamilya to Kacamella. The Villars truly has got no delicadeza.

Interestingly, it must be noted that Villar's son, ex-DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, is a senatorial aspirant in the upcoming 2022 elections. 

The implications of this in the future reach far and wide. We will never know until then.

Channel 2 is Kapamilya no more. Sad but we have to remember that its the Kapamilya branding that sells. Audiences follow & look for relevant and progressive content, which iWantTFC and other streaming partners offer. 

Nakatatak sa pusot isipan namin na kapag channel 2 is ABS-CBN. Malungkot man ngayon. Alam ko na sa mga susunod na panahon, bibigyang-kasiyahan muli tayo ng ABS-CBN sa mga posible pang sorpresa.

This is not the first time that Channel 2 frequency was taken out from ABS-CBN. During the 70s, it was awarded to a Marcos crony to used for BBC 2. But despite of all those challenges in the past, ABS-CBN was still able to return years after. They can do it again. Just be patient.

Hindi man natin sila makikitang magbalik sa Channel 2, alam nating babalik ang ABS-CBN.

Mind you that all analog channels on free TV will be shut off soon. Note that AMBS’s assignment of Channel 2 is only until the PH analog shut off originally scheduled in 2023, after which all TV will switch to digital. 

Mawawala rin ang nakasanayan nating channel designations.

So even if Channel 2 frequency was given to its new owner, it will only last for a short period of time. There are lots of frequencies available in digital TV. There are still more space for ABS-CBN return.

Kaya hindi parin panalo si Villar khit nakuha nya yung frequencies ngayon. Baka makipag blocktime pa si Villar sa ABS-CBN kung mangyari yun. 18 months lang naman pinahiram kay Villar yung frequencies.

But the deadline of the analog shutoff might be pushed back much later, esp. following the shutdown of ABS-CBN, which was one of the biggest proponents of digital TV in the Philippines with its TVPlus.

Originally 2015 dapat naka migrate na sa digital ang TV sa Pilipinas, pero dahil hindi pa handa ang lahat, nausog ito sa 2019 at ang huling deadline na inilabas ay 2023.

Pero gaya ng dati, posibleng mausog pa ito dahil titingnan pa rin ang kahandaan ng mga TV networks.

As far as streaming services, iwantTFC has also expanded, and they have even partnered with VIU. I do not think that they have any desire in the near future to apply for a new franchise.

Perhaps they've already settled with the reality that their direction now is towards content creation. 

Oligarchs replaced by oligarchs. ABS has already adapted well to the digital content creation and production landscape. Their blocktime agreements with TV5 and A2Z seemingly suffice for free TV.

ABS-CBN may no longer have the Channel 2. But it's not the frequency that matters and what makes it best; it's the network, the management, the programs, the staffs and the artists that makes it.

Hey Manny Villar, do you really think that even if you already have the Channel 2 frequency you will get the same strong support of the people that ABS-CBN had enjoyed for the past decades until now. You will never be like ABS-CBN. 

Channel 2 will never be the same anymore. I'm so dissappointed to NTC sobrang unfair. And to AMBS (Villar-affiliated channel), hindi kayo magtatagal. 

Iba man ang mag may-ari ngayon, iba pa rin ang Kapamilya.

I'll just move on and say that I was once an avid watcher of Channel 2 wayback 2000s. End of story.