MANILA — Flavored vape products marketed with descriptors appealing to minors are “100 percent smuggled” and not licensed by regulators, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Assistant Secretary Marcus Valdez II told the Senate Committee on Health and Demography.

“If you see a product that has illegal flavor descriptors attractive to minors like food, dessert, cartoon characters, they did not pass through the DTI. So, 100 percent smuggled po sila,” Valdez said.

He noted that enforcement against illegal vape products has intensified in recent years. Confiscated product values jumped from PHP5.4 million in 2023 to PHP32 million in 2024, and surged to PHP519 million in 2025. As of March 2026, authorities have seized around PHP10 million worth of products, including PHP3.6 million during a joint operation with the Bureau of Internal Revenue last week.

The DTI also filed charges last year against online platforms including Meta, Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop for allowing the sale of unlicensed or substandard vape products. Valdez warned that authorities may shut down online platforms if they fail to prevent the sale of illegal items.

Flavored vape products are also linked to early nicotine use, raising public health concerns. Ma. Kristina Marasigan, Director of the Department of Health’s Health Promotion Bureau, said, “Nicotine dependence was found to be two times higher in e-cigarette users. Flavors were a major reason for the initiation of vaping in younger generation. Meaning it is a gateway for their addiction moving forward.”

Marasigan added that most Southeast Asian countries have banned vaping, with only the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia still regulating the products.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros highlighted the growing accessibility of vapes to minors, citing colorful packaging, sweet and fruity flavors, aggressive online marketing, and widely available single-use devices.

The Senate panel is reviewing measures to strengthen the regulation of tobacco and vaporized nicotine products, including amendments to Republic Act 11900