Tobacco farmers oppose higher tax

Tobacco growers on Friday opposed a House bill that plans to introduce a big increase in the tobacco sin tax.

The  PhilTobacco Growers Association and the Philippine Aromatic Tobacco Development Association representing 50,000 tobacco farmers across the Philippines said House Bill 4144 authored by Congressman Eugene Micheal de Vera would introduce two new increased tax tiers, one at P32 per pack, and  the other at P36 per pack. 

Tobacco growers said the bill also included an annual increase of 5 percent on the rates. 

Republic Act No. 10351, or the sin tax law, earlier restructured the excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco products starting in January 2013 in preparation for the unitary taxation by 2017.