Senator Pia Cayetano and a group of doctors called on President Rodrigo Duterte to veto the Vape Bill before his term ends. 

Cayetano said that it was on June 24 that the House of Representatives officially transmitted the enrolled copy of the Vape Bill to the President’s Office in Malacañang. 

“Clearly, the transmittal of the bill at this late hour is a devious attempt to evade scrutiny from the outgoing administration, and to get the bill passed on to the next administration,” Cayetano said.        

She questioned the last minute transmittal of the bill, the bicameral version of which had been passed in the House of the Representatives and Senate in January. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Maricar Limpin, President of Philippine College of Physicians, along with Drs. Ulysses Dorotheo, Racquel Gonzalez, and Kenneth Hartigan-Go said that  the Bill will encourage the youth to use e-cigarettes due to the lowering of the ‘minimum age of access’ from 21 18 years old.  

 “Nananalig kami na ito (Vape Bill veto) ang magiging final act at legacy ni Pangulong Duterte para protektahan ang kalusugan ng mga Pilipino, lalo ng mga kabataan [We believe that this (Vape Bill veto) will be the final act and legacy of President Duterte to protect the health of the Filipinos, especially the youth.],” Dr. Limpin said. 

Other government agencies such as the Department of Health, Food and Drug Administration, and Department of Education earlier supported the call to veto the Vape Bill. 

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