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Palace certifies
'urgent'higher
tobacco tax/ bill
By Rey E. Requejq Rio
N. Araja, Macon Ramos-
Araneta and Maricel V, Cruz
MALACANANG .has certified aq ur-
gent the proposed law iniposing higher
excise taxes for tobacco products.
Justice Secretary Menaido C'uevarr4
r,rho has been designated officer-in-
charge ofthe Ofice ofthe Prcsident until
Saturday (June 1) while President Rodri-
go Duterie is in Japan for an official visit,
confiined that the certiflcation ofurgency
for Senate Bill 22lJ has been signed.
The Senate is reportedly set to ap-
prove the bill by Monday, June 3,
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Proponents ol the tax measure ex-
pressed hopes to end the plenary debates
on the bill and pass it on third and flnal
reading to be able to immedialely trans-
mit their version olthe sin tax bill to fte
House of Reprcsentatives for its mem-
bers to review and vote for its adoption.
They said Congress has no more time
for a bicameral conference committee
meetng lo setlle the drsagreerng pro\T-
sions ofthe Senate and House's respec-
tive proposals. Nert page
N€vl PAq'€ PtE' '+
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 longer be involved in the deliberations on
Palace... the measure.
hom A7 They commended Senator Juan Edgar-
do Aogara for sponsoring the measure to
Lawmakers only have four remaining increase tobacco taxes during Monday's
session days to ratify the final version of plenary session.
the proposed measure and ero[1 it for the "Wc are truly grateful to Seoator An-
President's approval as the 17th Congress gara lor sponsoling the tobacco tax in-
is scheduled to adjourn on Juue 7, crease in the Senate. By heeding the call
SB 2233 proposes a staggered increase of the health advoaates, Senator Angan
in the excisg tax per cigarette pack from has proyen hinself to be a true health
2020 to2023. champion, and he can be assurcd that the
T\e bill recommends a starting rate of advocates will support him all the way,'
P45, or P10 in the first year ofimplementa- said Anthony Leachon, former independ-
tion, which will be followed by an annual ent dir€ctor ofthe Philippine Health Insur-
P5 increase until the rate rcaches P60. ance Corp.
After this, the tax would automatically Leachon also welcomed the strong sup-
increase by 5 percent annually. pon given by the Senators Manny Pacqui-
The House version, House Bill 8677, ao, Sherwin Gatchaliau, W Ejercito, and
on the other hand, pegged the tobacco tax Risa Hontiveros, all of whom co-spon-
hike at P37.50 to P45 per pack until 2022, sored the measure.
which would increase by 4 percent eyery In his sponsorship speech, Angara ex-
year thereafter. plained that the measure would be key to
Meanwhile. Assistant Secretary Tony disaoumging Filipinos from smoking, and
Lambino said the Finarce department generating fevenue to help bridge the cur-
is hoping for the passage of tbe new sin rent P62-biliion funding gap for the first
tax before the lTth Congress adjourns on year of implementation of the Universal
June 7- Health Care Law.
"We have a very good chance at pass- $eanwhile, the DOF refuted one of
ing the measure," he said at a public forum Gordon's main concerns, which was that
Tuesday. increasing the tax mte would lead to a cor-
"We are being guided by ti€ senato$. responding increase in the level of ciga-
We are here to support them. Whatever r€tte smuggling.
data and analysis they would be needing, - frnona Galvez from the Youth for
we are just herc to provide lthese td them Sin Tax Coalition said increasing the tax
24/7I' Lambir.o said. on cigarettes is a proven measure to sig-
Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri nificantly decrease smoking prevalence
also expreseed hope that the bilt would be among the youth.
ratified. "Data from the National Nutrition Sur-
"We hope to tmnsmit it to the House on vey show that the total number of smokers
Monday. We hope the House [witl] adopt among the youth decreased by around 40
the Senate venion so there would no long- percent from 2008 to 2015. This can be
er be a bicam," Zubiri said. attributed to Sin Tax Law of2012, which
Health advocates, meanwhile, asked made cigarettes significantly less afford-
Senator Richard Gordon to recuse bim- able for the youth. Our legislators must
sclf from tobacco tax delibemtions due to thercfore ensure that we are able to contin-
conflict of interest after admitting that the ue this trend by implementing substantial
Philippine Red Cross, which he heads, has increases to the tax on cigarettes, and we
been accepting money from the tobacco have a very gogd opportunity to address
industry this before the end ofthe lTth Congress.
"The secretary general ofthe Red Cross We are counting on our legislatom to safe-
and I had quarrels over how to use tle guard our futwe by passing the tobacco
money ftom the tobacco companies. I tax increase," Galvez said.
said, I'm not going to advertise them, but A recent Pulse Asia survey revealing
I'll get the money. Why can't we use it tg that three out of lour Filipinos beljeve
help people out? I'm sure I'm being wrong that the tax on tobacco products must be
there, but I'm being pmctical," Gordon increased.
said during Tuesday"s plenary session. Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte of Cam-
Action for Economic Reforms research- arines Sur on Tuesday appealed to the Sen-
er Arjay Mercado emphasized that Gor- ate to approve a new sin tax law, sayilg this
don's statement was a clear admission of would discourage smoking and help fund
conflict of interest, and that he must no . the Univenal Health Care program.

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