Health experts urge PHL Congress to hike ‘sin taxes,’ boost funding vs obesity
PHILIPPINE lawmakers should raise the taxes on sugary and alcoholic drinks as well as cigarettes to curb consumption and generate revenue for public health programs, health experts said.
The extra revenue could help fund Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s (PhilHealth) expanded benefit packages as well as state programs against obesity, said Madeleine de Rosas-Valera, a former Health undersecretary.
“Maybe we need a 10% increase in sin taxes per year,” she said in an interview, adding that tax increase rates under the law are not enough to fund the state health insurer.
The Philippines levies “sin taxes” on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products to deter consumption, with annual tax rate hikes of 6% and 5%, respectively, according to the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Sugary drinks are taxed a flat P6 or P12 depending on the type of sweeteners used without yearly increases, based on Republic Act No. 10963 or the 2018 Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law.
The Finance department last year said it is not keen on raising taxes on sin products.
“How will PhilHealth be able to come up with benefit packages for prevention?” Ms. Valera asked. “They have it for hypertension and diabetes but there’s still no preventive program for obesity.”
The state health insurer provides a consultation package for members that covers medical check-up and essential medicines for conditions such as diabetes, asthma and infections requiring antibiotics, according to its website.
Lawmakers should also consider crafting laws addressing noncommunicable diseases and illnesses linked to lifestyle and genetics, such as heart attacks, asthma and diabetes, said Lourdes Desiree D. Cembrano, healthcare policy director at the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines.
“We have a mental health law, we have a rare diseases law, we have a cancer law,” she said in an interview. “But for noncommunicable diseases in general… it should be looked at. There’s no cardiovascular law, obesity law or diabetes law.”
Ms. Valera said the Education department should require school cafeterias to display boards with the nutritional value of meals served. “The schools should really measure the nutritional value of the food offered to students.” — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
