Marcos lauds condemnation of smuggled 'poisonous' vapes targeting minors

Manila Bulletin

President Marcos renewed his commitment to protecting public health, saying it is more important than recovering lost revenue from smuggling.  Marcos said this as he led the inspection and condemnation of seized smuggled electronic vapes at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) grounds in Manila on Monday morning, April 7. (Video courtesy of RTVM)  READ: https://mb.com.ph/2025/4/7/marcos-lauds-condemnation-smuggled-vapes  Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5664f6TkaeHgwBly50DWZQ/join  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00Thank you, Secretary Ralph Recta, for your interview.

00:07Please sit down.

00:09Well, we just came here today to highlight the efforts of our Bureau of Customs, our

00:16Department of Finance, our Department of Trade and Industry, on our efforts to try and curtail

00:25the smuggling, which has become very, very rampant of these vape products and their sale,

00:33most disturbingly, to minors.

00:36I'm happy to be able to report to the country that the levels at which we have been able

00:47to find these smuggled goods and to eventually destroy them has increased steadily over the

00:57last year and a half.

00:59I think in 2023, we caught around 3.

01:08something billion worth of smuggled goods.

01:11That doubled last year.

01:14And just from January to March, we are well on our way also to achieving even more seizures

01:25of these illegal vapes.

01:27Why is it so important that we do this?

01:29One, of course, because it is illegal.

01:33They have smuggled these in without any permits, any kind of documentation.

01:40Pinagbibilid na nga dito sa Pilipinas.

01:43And the very serious problem that accompanies that, na walang documentation, na walang inspection,

01:51dahil yung iba rito na ininspection natin, ay nahanapan may laso na nakapasok doon sa

02:00liquid na ginagamit na pangvape.

02:03Kaya lalong-lalong na nakakabahala, dahil kung titignan natin yung packaging, yung packaging

02:11talagang para sa bata.

02:13Kaya ang target market nila, bata.

02:15So unang-una, gusto nilang turuan ma-addict ang mga bata sa vape.

02:21Tapos delikado pa yung vape dahil may lasong nga nakikita na isinasamag.

02:28Kasi hindi natin naman malaman, hindi natin may inspection, smuggled nga.

02:32Hindi natin may inspection, hindi natin alam kung saan galing.

02:35We do not know about the manufacturing process that they go through before they come here.

02:43So hindi natin malaman kung ito ba is safe o hindi.

02:46Kaya yan ang nagiging malaking problema sa atin.

02:52Kaya naman I congratulate all our people here in the Bureau of Customs and Department of

02:58Finance.

02:59I think the BIR is also working hard to do the same thing.

03:03Nagsisisu sila mga warehouse naman ang kanilang ipapasok.

03:07So patuloy natin gagawin ito.

03:10I just wanted to highlight the efforts and the dangers, the efforts that we are doing

03:16and the dangers that accompany these smuggled vapes.

03:20Far and beyond the loss in revenue to the government, more important to us are the health

03:25issues that these smuggled vapes raise.

03:29So again, thank you all very much, congratulations, keep up the good work.

03:36We are beginning to see success to all of your efforts.

03:41Maraming salamat, congratulations, keep it going, tuluy-tuluy tayo.

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