ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The bulk of FCAP’s work has for its foundation many different legal variables. The organization’s existence itself relies mainly on the passage of the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. There is the organization’s name to attest to that. The Graphic Health Warning Campaign involves advocating for the passage of a law, while the Smoke free Campaign concerns itself with promoting a model ordinance to the various local government units around the country. Meanwhile, the monitoring being done in view of the existing Tobacco Ban on Advertising, Promotions and Sponsorship places upon FCAP the additional duty of making sure that such prohibitions are being properly followed by tobacco companies, and implemented by the government. Upon FCAP is also placed the burden of initiating and pursuing legal cases in court for violation committed by tobacco companies.

Given the situation, it becomes elementary for one to conclude that the organization has a considerable need for lawyers, paralegals and, at the very least, legal interns as it carries out its mandate.

Unfortunately, lawyers who are particularly inclined to support a tobacco control advocacy are still hard to come by these days. They are either involved with more established advocacies or are simply too unfamiliar with the tobacco control movement.

This situation, while unfortunate, is by no means surprising. The advocacy, as far as the Philippines is concerned, is still at its infant stage and it is only now that the general public is being introduced to tobacco control issues in a more substantive capacity. With that, it becomes quite understandable why even lawyers are slow to catch up with the developments pertaining to tobacco control issues.

A well-organized legal internship program can address such needs and shortcomings.

Such a program, if run properly, will serve to inform, educate, and perhaps even convince, future lawyers to carry the advocacy and all activities in support thereof. Interns will be initiated in anti-tobacco advocacy and exposed early to laws and jurisprudence involving the tobacco epidemic found here and abroad. They will get the opportunity to take part in developing measures and projects aimed at carrying out FCAP’s main objective. They will get to meet other tobacco control advocates and even assist in holding seminars and training workshops.

In the end, each successful internship period will have produced individuals who do not only have a substantial legal background with respect to tobacco control issues, but also new advocates who will, it is hoped, share their experience with other people and bring the advocacy to new heights.

OBJECTIVES

The overall goal of the Program is to provide the interns with direct legal training, exposure and advocacy  in tobacco control. At the same time, it also aims to develop responsible advocates, well advised of the fundamental issues regarding tobacco and the control and/or regulatory measures in place, both here and abroad.

In the context of tobacco control, specific goals include:

• Developing in students the art of lawyering, including such skills as research, writing, legal analysis, communication, negotiation and advocacy.
• Providing opportunities to integrate substantive learning of tobacco control issues, laws and advocacy with the practice of law.
• Increasing the interns’ understanding of their own individual strengths and weaknesses as lawyers.
• Exploring and understanding workplace issues such as time management, workplace culture, teamwork, giving and receiving feedback, and achieving balance in one’s life.
• Exposing the interns to the different tobacco control measures and issues, both locally and abroad.
• Assisting the interns in familiarizing themselves with activities they are not usually exposed to in law school
• Encouraging the interns to take part in the tobacco control advocacy

COMPONENTS

Policy Advocacy
A sizable chunk of FCAP’s work involves advocating specific policies and/or laws geared towards enhancing tobacco control in the Philippines. This requires the constant development and conduct of specific activities designed to inform the public and encourage them to support the advocacy. Interns will get the chance to help out in coming up with and in organizing said activities.

Research and Publication
In the course of its operations, FCAP regularly publishes materials pertaining to its various projects and advocacies. Interns shall become part of the organization’s efforts to educate the public and targeted groups about tobacco health hazards, the organization’s initiatives and advocacies, and tobacco-control information campaign. The legal interns shall have an active role in contributing to the development and preparation of  materials such as primers, brochures, working papers, and research papers intended for publication in various college journals like the Philippine Law Journal of the University of the Philippines.

Paralegal Training
FCAP shall regularly conduct paralegal training workshops for friends and allies in the tobacco control advocacy. The aim is to develop skilled paralegals familiar with existing tobacco control laws, measures and issues. In the conduct of such workshops, interns shall take part in the training sessions, or  by assist in the organization and management of said activities.

Litigation and other Fieldwork
While FCAP does not go out of its way to file law suits, it does not stand idly while violations of existing tobacco control laws are committed. The organization has filed the necessary complaints in the appropriate fora as violations of tobacco laws are committed. In this area, interns will have the opportunity to assist in the preparation and filing of such complaints, under the supervision of lawyers assigned to the case. Apart from this, interns shall be involved in field work opportunities so as to further enhance their internship experience.

Legislative Initiatives
FCAP has actively pushed for the introduction and passage of legislative bills as part of its advocacy. In line with this, the law interns shall be tapped to help and assist in the on-going efforts of FCAP to pass the Graphic Health Warning Bill, as well as draft and push for the passage of other legislative bills including but not limited to health promotion foundation and tobacco taxation.

DURATION

Each internship program shall run for ten (10) months, including the three-day orientation seminar, which all interns are required to go through before proceeding to the internship proper.

The program may be subject to an extension or renewal upon a written agreement between the intern concerned and FCAP.

INTERN APPLICATION AND SELECTION

The program shall be open to all individuals currently taking up law in any government-accredited law school in the Philippines.

Each applicant will be required to submit a resume and will go through a simple interview process to be conducted by the Program Director, the FCAP Executive Director and another FCAP Officer.

Criteria for selection shall include but not be limited to: academic standing, performance during the interview, and/or work experience, and absulote non-tobacco affiliation.

A maximum of eight (8) interns may be accepted for every internship year.