Senator asked to stop bill cutting tobacco taxes
A public health advocacy group has urged Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian to follow through on his position to effectively block House Bill No. 11360, described by health groups as the “Sin Tax Sabotage Bill,” and reject tobacco industry manipulation in the 19th Congress.
HealthJustice Philippines also backed Gatchalian’s pronouncement during Monday’s hearing of the Senate committee on ways and means, which he chairs, to stop further deliberations on a rollback in taxes for tobacco products in the bicameral conference committee.
“We object to lower tax rates on tobacco products. It is a misaligned solution to curb illicit tobacco trade and shortfalls in tax revenues.
Rather, we fear it will tragically lead to an upsurge in tobacco consumption and hike the risk of noncommunicable diseases, including cancer and heart disease,” former Health Secretary Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, who is also a board member of HealthJustice, said in a statement.
