- Philippine research and development group, Alitaptap Foundation, Inc. partnered with the Global Action to End Smoking (GAES) to present a new study on the use, manufacture, regulation and sale of tobacco and tobacco harm reduction products (THRPs) in the Philippines.
- The Alitaptap team conducted face-to-face interviews of 1,979 adult respondents across sectors in the country’s major islands. From this sample group, the team drew valuable understanding of present-day patterns and trends in the adult use, knowledge, and views of tobacco and THRP products, as well as their awareness and attitudes toward government policies that touch on tobacco and THRP consumption.
Smoking remains the world’s leading preventable cause of death, yet quitting is a long-standing struggle for millions. Alitaptap Foundation, Inc. partnered with the Global Action to End Smoking (GAES) to present a new study on the use, manufacture, regulation and sale of tobacco and tobacco harm reduction products (THRPs) in the Philippines.
GAES, formerly known as the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World and founded in 2017, is an independent US-based non-profit organization that counts close to a decade fostering science- based efforts to reduce nicotine dependence through research and education.
Alitaptap Foundation, Inc. is a Philippine research and development group whose mission is to empower leaders from the government and private sectors to strategically work towards building peaceful, happy and progressive communities. Like its namesake, the firefly, Alitaptap sheds light on specific needs of communities through data-driven studies and programs that would spark reforms in such priority areas as good governance, education, health, and livelihood creation.
“We believe that a country that is made whole by islands of good governance is led by leaders who are trusted by their communities,” said Mr. Rovin Feliciano, President of Alitaptap Foundation. “Our team has the experience, the expertise, and a genuine heart to help local leaders move ideas into action.”
Mr. Feliciano furthered that Alitaptap’s data gathering efforts have taken deep dives into their growing network of partner barangays. This enables them to arrive at practical insights to guide local leaders in crafting relevant and targeted community development programs. The Foundation has also provided capability building programs on leadership, public finance, effective service delivery, economic development, and community transformation; and successfully linked local governments with other organizations to support the development needs of their respective communities. The new partnership with GAES should further broaden the Foundation’s scope of influence.
“This is our first time to handle such topic, which posed a healthy challenge for us. We are proud of the resulting white paper, An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Policies, Regulations, and Use of Tobacco and Tobacco Harm Reduction Products on Reducing Tobacco Consumption and Promoting Public Welfare,” affirmed Mr. Feliciano. “We hope that our insights will aid government and private institutions to come up with fresh and effective approaches to educating people on the impact of smoking on their health, finances, and social interactions.”
The team conducted face-to-face interviews of 1,979 adult respondents from a cross-sector sampling of wealthy land owners, employees from government and private companies, college students, blue collar and manual workers, and LGBTQ++ individuals based in Northern Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. From this sample group, the team drew valuable understanding of present-day patterns and trends in the adult use, knowledge, views, and perceptions of tobacco and THRP products; their awareness and views on regulatory policies on tobacco and THRP products; and the nature of the informal tobacco and THRP markets as well as the factors that contribute to their growth.
The release of the full study, An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Policies, Regulations, and Use of Tobacco and Tobacco Harm Reduction Products on Reducing Tobacco Consumption and Promoting Public Welfare, will be announced in the Facebook page of Alitaptap Foundation
ABOUT ALITAPTAP FOUNDATION, INC.
Alitaptap Foundation, Inc. is a Philippine research and development group on a mission to empower leaders from the government and private sectors to strategically work together towards building peaceful, happy, and progressive communities. Like its namesake, the firefly, Alitaptap sheds light on specific needs of communities by conducting data-driven studies and developing capacity-building programs that would bring about reforms in the delivery of vital services in the areas of good governance, education, health, and livelihood creation.
ABOUT GLOBAL ACTION TO END SMOKING
Global Action to End Smoking is an independent, U.S. nonprofit grantmaking organization that funds and empowers Health & Science Research, Cessation Education, and Agricultural Transformation designed to end the smoking epidemic and related death and disease.