Senator Pia S. Cayetano expressed gratitude to those who helped guide her health advocacy, as she received the prestigious World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) Award from the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 31, 2023.
Accepting the award in a ceremony held at the Senate, Cayetano shared it was her parents – the late Senator ‘Compañero’ Rene Cayetano and Sandra Schramm Cayetano – who first instilled in her the importance of healthy living.
Known for championing the Sin Tax Reform Act and Graphic Health Warning Law, Cayetano recalled during her acceptance speech, her father would always say three lines to her and her siblings when they were young: “no drugs, no smoking, and no alcohol.”
“I had the pleasure of growing up in a very healthy environment. Our father lived a very active and healthy lifestyle, and so did my mom. My brothers and I were very much guided by those principles. So it was never difficult for me to take up this cause,” she said.
At the same time, Cayetano thanked fellow advocates who guided her in fighting for health reforms and tobacco control measures through the years. Among those she cited were: Dr. Maricar Limpin, Director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Philippines; Dr. Yul Dorotheo, Executive Director of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA); Dr. Antonio Dans, Professor at the University of Philippines College of Medicine; as well as the policy think-tank, Action for Economic Reforms (AER).
“It’s an honor, but I consider it a happy burden also that I will carry, as I continue to speak up about what we need to do, what we need to ban, and what we need to regulate, in any opportunity that I get,” added the senator, who vowed to continue monitoring compliance with restrictions on sin products, including cigarettes and vapes.
WHO Representative Dr. Rui Paulo de Jesus of Timor Leste, who presented the award to Cayetano, said the recognition was given by the global health agency “in recognition of (the senator’s) outstanding contribution to tobacco control.”
Meanwhile, in a website post, the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office wrote: “The senator’s work has focused on preserving the regulatory authority of the Food and Drug Administration and reducing the affordability and accessibility (for youths) of tobacco products.”
In response, Cayetano said the challenge now is to ensure that current policies on smoking and vaping are strictly enforced and constantly reviewed to protect the people, especially the youth.
Cayetano is the only Filipino and individual chosen by WHO among this year’s WNTD recipients in the Western Pacific. Her fellow awardees in the region are all national government agencies.
