House lauded over halted lower tobacco taxes bill discussions

Advocacy group Sin Tax Coalition has recently thanked House leaders for dropping a bill that sought to lower tobacco tax rates.

The coalition, composed of medical groups, health advocates and civil society organizations, said in a statement that the decision to cancel further deliberations on House Bill 11279 showed “Congress leaders, specifically House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Ways and Means chair Albay Second District Representative Joey Salceda, are willing to listen to health advocates and are sensitive to public opinion.”

“The voice of many sectors is loud and clear: The bill that we call the Sin Tax Sabotage Bill will lower tax rates on sin products and lead to a further decline in excise tax revenues, and increase the number of smokers and smoking-associated deaths and diseases,” said the group.

“This popular sentiment against any attempt to sabotage the Sin Tax Reform Law will affect the political landscape, including election outcomes. Again, we thank the House leadership for doing the right thing by canceling further deliberations on bills that will undermine sin taxes,” it added.

HB 11279 was dubbed the "Sin Tax Sabotage Bill" by the coalition, which argued it would undermine the Sin Tax Reform Law by lowering excise tax revenues and increasing the number of smokers.

The coalition also urged the House to resist any attempts by the tobacco industry to weaken inflation indexation in the Anti-Illicit Tobacco Trade Bill.

It also called on Finance Secretary Ralph Recto to “protect financial integrity and enhance revenue collection” and “not become an agent of the tobacco industry.”

 The World Health Organization says tobacco kills up to half of its users.