The use of e-cigarettes among Filipino adolescents continues to rise, even as cigarette smoking among the same age group declines, according to figures discussed during the Senate Committee on Ways and Means hearing presided over by Senator Pia Cayetano on Wednesday.

“They are the most vulnerable,” Cayetano said, referring to adolescents aged 10 to 19. She cited data showing a dramatic shift in youth smoking behavior over the past decade.

“For the adolescents, in 2015, almost similar to the adults, 88.4% ang cigarette smoking and then less than 1% ‘yong e-cigarettes,” the Senator explained.

Meanwhile, in 2023, cigarette smokers among the youth dropped to 65%, 'which is still’ terrible as commented by Sen. Pia Caytena, but vape users among adolescents climbed to 39%.

_{Screenshot of smoking and vaping usage among adults and adolescents from Sen. Pia Cayetano}

Sen. Win Gatchalian, who is also present during the meeting, explained that one driver of rising e-cigarette use is affordability.

“Maraming batang pumapasok ngayon sa free-based dahil mas mura siya compared to nicotine, so one of the things we need to do is raise the taxes of free-based para magpantay lang siya sa nicotine,” Gatchalian said.

“So ‘yong entry level ngayon magiging mas mahal para sa mga bata. That’s one of the reforms that we are proposing,” he added.

Adult Smoking and Vaping Trends

According to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), adults continue to smoke manufactured cigarettes at high rates, while e-cigarette use is gradually increasing.

FNRI records that in 2023, 87% adults were smoking cigarettes, while 9% among them have shifted to e-cigarettes, posing a significant difference from 2015, wherein 91% were into smoking manufactured cigarettes and only 0.2% had used e-cigarettes.

“That is the trend that was already predicted, that I repeatedly pointed out that the shift globally is from manufactured cigarettes to vape. Because the campaign of the vape companies and the big ones are also owned by the tobacco companies,” Cayetano noted.

“They are shifting it to vaping and they are promoting it as safer and healthier. It’s not true. My point is ‘wag na tayong magulat kasi ‘yan nga ‘yong campaign nila,” she added.

Cayetano also emphasized the goal of reducing cigarette consumption while cautioning against replacing it with new addictions, stating: “Hindi naman natin gusto na from cigarette addicts we now have vape and heated tobacco product addicts. We don’t want that. Of course, in terms of [tax] collection nakakatulong sa atin ‘yon, but that should not be the goal.”

Fiscal Impact

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) recorded PHP 123 billion in total cigarette collections from January to September 2025.

In comparison, the same period in 2024 totaled PHP 100 billion, and the full-year collection in 2024 was PHP 134 billion. “We will hit more than 134 billion last year,” said Usec. Karlo Fermin Adriano.

Meanwhile, vaping product collections have surged from PHP 138 million in 2022 to PHP 2.1 billion as of September 2025.

Cayetano noted the proliferation of vape shops compared to gyms, saying, “Mas marami pang vape shops kesa sa gym, that’s for sure. Kung bibigyan natin ng tax break ang mga gyms and other health spaces baka ang laking factor noon.”

The discussion underscored both the public health risks of youth vaping and the fiscal considerations for the government, as lawmakers consider reforms to curb adolescent access while maintaining revenue streams.