LOOK: Sin tax advocates urge passage of proposed tobacco tax hike
Credit to Author: cbibe| Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2019 06:09:43 +0000
MANILA, Philippines — Sin tax advocates on Monday trooped to the Senate complex in Pasay City to call on senators to pass the bill seeking to increase the excise tax on tobacco products.
The Sin Tax coalition, composed of civil society groups, doctors, nurses, health advocates, held the rally as the Senate committee on ways and means tackled proposed measures to hike the tobacco excise tax.
The group pushed for a P90-increase per pack of cigarettes to fund the Universal Health Care bill.
Senator Manny Pacquiao earlier filed Senate Bill 1599 seeking to raise cigarette excise tax to P60 per pack.
READ: Raising tobacco tax to help fund universal health care – Pacquiao
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also filed a bill proposing to increase the tobacco excise tax to P70 per pack while Senator JV Ejercito said a P90-increase per pack should be imposed. /cbb