Senator Robin Padilla expressed agreement with the United States’ move to ease marijuana regulations after President Donald J. Trump ordered the reclassification of cannabis for medical use, framing the issue as a matter of health care, economic opportunity, and environmental benefit.
In a Facebook post, Padilla referenced Trump’s order directing US authorities to reclassify marijuana under federal law and questioned when the Philippine Senate would be ready to confront the issue. He emphasized that his position was limited to medical and industrial use and rejected recreational legalization.
“Kailan kaya maliwanagan ang senado?” Padilla wrote. “Medical po. Hindi po recreational. Gamot po para sa mga may sakit po. Hindi po pang pot session.”
Padilla said medical cannabis could help patients suffering from chronic pain and other illnesses, especially those who cannot afford synthetic drugs. He added that regulated use could also provide alternatives for people dealing with substance dependency and reduce reliance on opioids and alcohol.
He also cited industrial and environmental uses, saying cannabis could be cultivated locally for textiles, paper, and other products while contributing to soil rehabilitation and reforestation. Padilla argued that a regulated framework could support farmers and generate economic activity without promoting abuse.
Trump’s order directs the US attorney general to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, a classification that recognizes accepted medical use while maintaining regulation. Marijuana would remain illegal at the federal level, but the shift is expected to expand medical research, reduce regulatory barriers, and ease restrictions on financing and taxation for cannabis-related activities.
Trump said the move responds to long-standing calls from patients seeking relief from pain and other conditions, while maintaining limits on non-medical use.
Padilla’s post aligns his stance with the medical-focused approach outlined in the US action. The senator has repeatedly pushed for discussion of medical cannabis in the Philippines, presenting it as a public health issue rather than a lifestyle or recreational policy.
No new bill has been filed following Padilla’s latest statement, but his comments place renewed public attention on the stalled debate over medical marijuana as international policy shifts continue to unfold.
Robin Padilla — a close personal friend of PGMN lead anchor Cj Hirro — has privately expressed interest in filming one Peanut Gallery Media episode expressing why cannabis should be decriminalized in the Philippines. Will this move by Trump expedite circumstances?
