As the State of the Union Address (SONA) approaches, lawmakers on Thursday called on President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to prioritize higher taxes on e-cigarettes, alcohol, and sugary drinks to address the health challenges that plague young Filipinos while generating more revenue to fund public health programs.
This call was made by the Youth for Health Coalition (YFH) and the Sin Tax Coalition, with the support of their legal partners and an economist, during a press conference.
These activists highlight what they describe as a growing health problem among Filipino youth, citing an increase in sedentary behavior and the widespread use of alcohol, cigarettes, and tobacco products.
Data from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) showed that 25.3% of Filipino children under the age of five will be disabled by 2025, marking the first recorded increase in a decade. This means that one in four children in the Philippines is very short for their age, an indication of chronic malnutrition.
Youth nicotine use has also reached epidemic levels in the Philippines. Data from the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) showed that one in three Filipinos have tried smoking, while 14.8% are dual users of both electronic cigarettes and regular cigarettes.
Meanwhile, a separate study found that monthly alcohol consumption among Filipinos aged 10 to 19 will double from 2021 to 2023.
To help address these health challenges for Filipino youth, these groups urged the President to include higher taxes on electronic cigarettes, alcohol, and sugary drinks in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council's (LEDAC) key measures ahead of his SONA on July 27.
“Mr. President, we hope you will fulfill your responsibility to advance and fund laws that address our health concerns,” John Andrei Padua, a 19-year YFH representative, said during a press conference in the Philippines.
Former Finance Secretary Cielo D. Magno said the imposition of a higher health tax is timely given the growing health burden among Filipino youth.
“We already have sin taxes, but the government should be aware that if the incidence of smoking and alcohol consumption continues to increase, then the current tax rate is no longer effective,” said Ms. Magno during a press conference.
“It means that these taxes need to be fixed,” he added, noting that the sin tax is intended to prevent the use of dangerous products and generate revenue that can be used to fund public health programs.
YFH also called for an increase in the tax on sugary drinks, noting that sugary drinks that are easily available in the market contribute to the increase in cases of obesity in the country.
Lawmakers Cielo Krisel B. Lagman, representative of the first district of Albay, and Antonino “Tony” B. Roman III, representative of the first district of Bataan, both expressed support for higher health taxes and other measures that address the spread of alcohol, vape, and tobacco.
Mr. Roman recently filed House Bill No. 5966, or the Alcohol Tax Reform Bill, which seeks to increase the excise tax on alcoholic beverages by 25% annually on distilled beverages and by 10% annually on beer and alcopops from 2026 through 2030.
The measure is expected to bring in P206 billion in additional government revenue during that period, or about P41 billion annually, with 60% of the revenue earmarked for public health programs.
Meanwhile, Ms. Lagman recently introduced House Bill No. 9603, or the Smoke-Free and Vape-Free Environment Bill, which seeks to protect public health by prohibiting exposure to tobacco smoke and vape aerosols in all public places.
“Rep. Tony and I are committed to ensuring that these measures are quickly drafted by the Health Committee to be discussed at the committee level and promoted in the House of Representatives. We will also look for partners in the Senate,” Ms. Lagman said in Filipino.
Both lawmakers also expressed hope that these health initiatives, as well as other policies that address the health challenges facing Filipino youth, will be included among the key initiatives of LEDAC. – Edg Adrian A. Eva
