The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has warned consumers against purchasing FLAVA, also marketed as XFLAVA, vape products, saying the items were smuggled into the country and are not authorized for sale or distribution in the Philippines.
In an advisory, the DTI said the products have not obtained the mandatory Philippine Standard (PS) certification required under the country’s technical regulations. Without certification, consumers have no assurance that the products meet established safety and quality standards.
The agency cautioned that uncertified vape products could contain harmful substances, including potentially dangerous levels of chemicals such as formaldehyde, exposing users to heightened health and safety risks.
The advisory forms part of the government’s broader effort to tighten oversight of the fast-growing vape market, where regulators have intensified enforcement against illicit imports and non-compliant products amid concerns over consumer safety and tax leakage.
The DTI also reminded retailers, distributors and online sellers that the sale, distribution and promotion of uncertified vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products may violate Republic Act No. 11900, or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act, as well as its implementing rules and regulations. The law establishes the standards governing the manufacture, importation, sale and marketing of vape products in the country.
By requiring PS certification, regulators aim to ensure that products sold in the Philippine market comply with minimum safety and quality requirements while strengthening accountability among manufacturers and importers.
The DTI urged consumers to buy only certified products from legitimate sellers and encouraged the public to report information on the sale, distribution or promotion of FLAVA or XFLAVA products to the agency’s Office for the Special Mandate on Vaporized Nicotine Products.
The latest advisory underscores the government’s continuing crackdown on unauthorized vape products as authorities seek to protect consumers while promoting compliance with the country’s evolving regulatory framework for nicotine and non-nicotine vapor products.
