Gov't urged to tax unhealthy packaged food

In a bid to combat the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country, a health group on Monday, 1 September, called on the national government to impose higher taxes on unhealthy packaged food.

Citing data from the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), the Healthy Philippines Alliance (HPA) said implementing a tax on unhealthy packaged food that exceeds sugar and sodium thresholds "could significantly reduce sugar and sodium consumption."

The HPA also pointed out that the study projected that "a nutrient-based unhealthy food taxation could lead to thousands of prevented deaths and cases of cardiovascular diabetes, substantial health care savings, and tax revenues in the Philippines."

Another one of the powerful policies to prevent NCDs is placing front-of-package warning labels, according to former Department of Health Secretary and HPA lead convenor, Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan.

“Front-of-package warning labels paired with a tax system can discourage the overconsumption of products high in sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. This is not just a tax—it is an investment to protect public health, save lives and build a healthier future for all Filipinos,” Galvez Tan said.

“We are backed by research that shows taxing unhealthy packaged food and beverages can reduce the burden of NCDs, encourage healthier food choices, and generate vital revenue that can be reinvested into our Universal Health Care system and other nutrition programs," he added.

The DOST-FNRI study also reported that in a span of 20 years, a 20 percent tax on unhealthy packaged food was projected to stop 2,700 deaths, 13,600 ischemic heart cases, 5,000 strokes, and 21,700 Type 2 diabetes.

Further, the HPA noted that tax implementation would generate an estimate of P2.37 billion in health care savings and close to P648 billion in tax revenues.

NCDs are a major public health challenge in the Philippines, with cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases being the leading causes of death and disability.