Ched Rick Gatchalian

Nagsisindi ng sigarilyo ang isang lalaki sa labas ng isang restoran sa Mandaluyong noong 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File


 

Article (news)

​Health group urges PH gov't to reject 'greenwashing', PR activities of tobacco industry

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175833178043820190530-no-tobacco-day-gc-6046.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Nagsisindi ng sigarilyo ang isang lalaki sa labas ng isang restoran sa Mandaluyong noong 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA — Advocacy group HealthJustice Philippines is calling on the government to reject &quot;greenwashing&quot; attempts and to stop engagement with the tobacco industry, as it emphasized the industry&#x27;s impact on health and on the environment.The group issued the statement on Saturday, International Coastal Cleanup Day.Greenwashing refers to attempts to make a company or industry seem more ecologically responsible or less destructive to the environment. In a release, the group cited studies that showed 4.5 trillion cigarette butts get discarded yearly —  making them the &quot;most abundant form of plastic waste&quot; in the world.&quot;The tobacco industry is not only endangering public health but is also driving environmental degradation,&quot; it said, adding the cigarette butts harm ecosystems and worsens climate impacts. &quot;We call on the whole of government to refrain from any engagement with the industry, as such involvement contradicts their mandate to protect the environment,&quot; said Mary Ann Mendoza, president of HealthJustice Philippines.The World Health Organization stressed in 2022 that the tobacco industry could cost more than 8 million human lives, 600 million trees, 200,000 hectares of land and 22 billion tons of water as well as produce 84 million tons of CO2 every year.<div> </div><div>&#x27;FALSE IMAGE&#x27;</div>HealthJustice Philippines argued that the industry uses corporate social responsibility activities to allegedly create a &quot;false image&quot; or projection of environmental advocacy.The group added that these could be in the form of donations, tree-planting activities, and clean-up drives,“These cannot be regarded as genuine acts of social responsibility, as tobacco products are inherently harmful and provide no societal benefit,” Mendoza said.“This holds true for other health-harming industries, such as producers of ultra-processed food, that hide behind good PR despite their negative impacts to health and environment,&quot; she added.HealthJustice Philippines said that Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) states that governments must protect public health policies from the influence of tobacco industry.In the said article, corporate social responsibility activities of tobacco industry are considered a form of marketing.The article recommends the denormalization and regulation of such activities.

Advocacy group HealthJustice Philippines called on the government to reject "greenwashing" attempts and stop engagements with the tobacco industry, emphasizing its supposed harmful impact not only to human health but also to environment, on Saturday, the International Coastal Cleanup Day.

Advocacy group HealthJustice Philippines called on the government to reject "greenwashing" attempts and stop engagements with the tobacco industry, emphasizing its supposed harmful impact not only to human health but also to environment, on Saturday, the International Coastal Cleanup Day.

​Health group urges PH gov't to reject 'greenwashing' of tobacco industry

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Health & Science

​Health group urges PH gov't to reject 'greenwashing' of tobacco industry

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 20, 2025 10:59 AM PHT

|

Updated Sep 20, 2025 03:05 PM PHT

Read More:

Health

HealthJustice Philippines

Tobacco industry

Smoking

Environment

WHO

United Nations

Corporate social responsibility activities

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Health group urges PH gov't to reject 'greenwashing' of tobacco industry

Health group urges PH gov't to reject 'greenwashing' of tobacco industry