SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing for an Inter-Agency Task Force to lead the fight against widespread illicit trade in excisable goods, especially cigarettes and vape products.

He stresses the need for a coordinated effort to keep the youth from being enticed into vaping.

The chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means is set to file a resolution calling for the creation of an inter-agency body, to be led by the Department of Trade and Industry and tasked with conducting a market analysis to recommend concrete policies.

“If we don’t arrest this problem, mas maraming bata ang papasok sa e-cigarettes. We need to change the consumption habits of the young dahil ito ang papatay sa kanila,” Gatchalian said.

The senator cited data showing that over 120,000 adolescents took up vaping despite having no previous smoking experience.

Gatchalian said he is willing to support funding for the inter-agency body.

“We need to sound the alarm bells and hope to secure multi-year funding so we can ensure sustainability,” he said.