Senator Win Gatchalian is calling for the creation of an inter-agency task force to combat the growing illicit trade in excisable goods—particularly cigarettes and vape products—as part of efforts to shield the Filipino youth from harmful and illegal substances.

As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, Gatchalian said he will soon file a resolution urging the establishment of a task force to be led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The group will be responsible for conducting a comprehensive market analysis and recommending strategic policy actions to address the issue.

“If we fail to act now, more young people will fall into the trap of using e-cigarettes,” Gatchalian warned. “We need to change consumption habits early—this is a matter of life and death for our next generation.”

The senator cited alarming figures indicating that over 120,000 adolescents have started vaping despite never having smoked traditional cigarettes.

Gatchalian also expressed his support for allocating long-term funding to sustain the task force’s work. “We need to sound the alarm and back it up with resources. This cannot be a one-time effort—we need multi-year funding to ensure real impact.”