Thursday, March 30, 2023
manilastandard.net
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
manilastandard.net
No Result
View All Result
Home News Top Stories

Tobacco tax bill sparks cigarette war

Christine F. HerrerabyChristine F. Herrera
December 4, 2016, 11:20 pm
in Top Stories
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

A NEW bill has triggered a war among cigarette companies while government tax collection agencies have clashed with Congress after lawmakers pushed for the amendment of the Sin Tax Law that has yet to mature next year.

In the middle of the clash are the tobacco farmers who complain that they were not consulted on the plan to “prematurely” amend the bill and warned against “railroading” of its passage following a November 28 hearing where farmers were not invited by the House committee on ways and means led by Quirino Rep. Dakila Carlo Cua.

“This bill is being rammed through Congress and we have never been asked for our opinion,” said Saturnino Distor, an official of the PhilTobacco Growers Association. 

“The whole process is a sham and we call on the leadership of the House to seek proper consultation and a complete impact assessment before proceeding with it.” 

HIGH VALUE CROP. Farmers gather tobacco leaves in La Union, one of the tobacco-producing provinces  which  account for  the lion’s share of  annual revenue from excise tax collection. David Chan

Distor said the PTGA and the Philippine Aromatic Tobacco Development Association representing 50,000 tobacco farmers across the Philippines had expressed their opposition to House Bill 4144, which seeks to introduce a big increase in the tobacco Sin Tax.

ADVERTISEMENT

ABS Rep. Eugene Michael de Vera, principal author of House Bill 4144, wants Congress to discard the unitary tax imposing a 30-peso excise tax on all brands slated for January 2017 and opts for higher tax impositions.

De Vera said the bill aims to discourage smoking and raise revenues.

He is pushing for a two-tier tax that increases the tax on cheaper brands to P32 a pack and P36 for high-end brands.

The proposal also includes an annual increase of five percent on these rates as against the current Sin Tax on tobacco (Republic Act 10351) that sees a unitary rate of P30 per pack in 2017, with an annual four percent adjustment thereafter. 

The present law imposes a tax of P25 per pack on cheaper brands with a net retail price of P11.50 and a tax of P29 per pack for brands that sell at more than P11.50 a pack.

De Vera seems to have the backing of the House leadership as sources told Manila Standard that House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, before the hearing, summoned the panel members to convince them to approve the new bill.

Mighty, a Chinese-Filipino owned cigarette company that sells cheaper brands, was pushing for the passage of the De Vera bill.

Philip Morris, a multinational company that sells the high-end brands worldwide, is opposing it and backs the existing Sin Tax Law that will implement the unitary tax next year.

Mighty hired Philip Sigfried Fortun as lawyer and former National Economic Development Authority director general Romulo Neri as spokesman.

During the hearing, Neri said the bill would address an “inequitable situation” as cigarettes for the rich would be taxed higher.

The House leadership did not only find resistance from the farmers but also from all government agencies: the Department of Finance, Department of Health, Bureau of Internal Revenue, National Tax Research Center, and advocacy groups Action for Smoking and Health, Action for Economic Reform and Philippine College of Physicians.

The National Tobacco Administration has no objection to the bill.

“Why are they proposing to hit tobacco again even before another big 20-percent excise tax increase in January next year, and we don’t even know what the impact of that will be,” Distor said. 

“Tobacco farmers are struggling with the fall in demand for tobacco because of the huge 340-percent excise tax increases introduced in 2013, with annual compound increases of 20 percent or more ever since worsening the situation,” he said.

Distor said tobacco excise taxes contributed around P100 billion in 2015, up from P32 billion in 2012, and were now more than two-thirds of the sin tax take.

“We are giving more than our fair share of the contribution,” Distor said. 

Finance opposed a two-tier excise tax structure on cigarettes saying it will encourage “downshifting.”

“A unitary structure is simple to administer, tax differentiation is not germane to sin taxation, the harmful effects of high priced and low priced cigarettes on poor is the same,” Finance  Undersecretary Bayani Agabin said.

Tags: cigarette companiesCongressHouse Bill 4144Sin Tax Lawtax collection agenciesTobacco Tax Bill
ADVERTISEMENT
Christine F. Herrera

Christine F. Herrera

Related Posts

Rody blasts ICC, ready for jail

byRey E. Requejo
March 30, 2023, 1:40 am
0
8
SC’s Carandang hangs up robe, retires at age 70

SolGen clarifies PH bid for probe suspension effectively still pending Former President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday cursed the International Criminal...

Read more

PBBM to Ched: Address, reverse brain drain among Filipino nurses

byVince Lopez
March 30, 2023, 1:30 am
0
8
As Muslims mark Ramadan, PBBM calls for solidarity

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to immediately address the shortage of nurses due...

Read more

DepEd won’t revert to ‘old’ summer break

byManila Standard
March 30, 2023, 1:20 am
0
8
Tiamzons killed in boat explosion? Military mum on details of incident

Despite the call of a senator to move back summer vacation for schools to April and May amid the hot...

Read more

Gov’t to raise ‘healthy citizens,’ to deal with malnutrition among kids

byWillie Casasand2 others
March 30, 2023, 1:20 am
0
8
P4-b shabu packed in tea bags seized in Baguio

One in three Filipino children under the age of 5 is stunted, the Department of Health said Wednesday—a situation that...

Read more

Maynilad: Brace for longer daily water interruptions next week

byOthel V. Camposand3 others
March 30, 2023, 1:10 am
0
8
Satellite captures traces of long oil slick in Verde Island Passage

Maynilad on Wednesday said it has begun daily service interruptions to preserve the remaining supply of water in the Angat-Ipo...

Read more

Ex-Gov. Teves signs waiver for phone, bank records

byManila Standard
March 30, 2023, 1:00 am
0
8
Southwoods nails Seniors’ Fil golf crown

Former Negros Oriental Governor Pryde Henry Teves on Wednesday filed a waiver allowing the Department of Justice to probe his...

Read more

Print Edition

View More

Recent Posts

  • E-vehicle manufacturer to put up facility in Clark
  • ASIAN TERMINALS, INC.: Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
  • Sneakers for Makati : AB4.0
  • Rody blasts ICC, ready for jail
  • PBBM to Ched: Address, reverse brain drain among Filipino nurses
  • Gov’t to raise ‘healthy citizens,’ to deal with malnutrition among kids
  • DepEd won’t revert to ‘old’ summer break
  • Maynilad: Brace for longer daily water interruptions next week

Advertisement

Latest News

Gov’t to raise ‘healthy citizens,’ to deal with malnutrition among kids

byWillie Casasand2 others
March 30, 2023, 1:20 am
0
8
P4-b shabu packed in tea bags seized in Baguio

One in three Filipino children under the age of 5 is stunted, the Department of Health said Wednesday—a situation that...

Read more

DepEd won’t revert to ‘old’ summer break

byManila Standard
March 30, 2023, 1:20 am
0
8
Tiamzons killed in boat explosion? Military mum on details of incident

Despite the call of a senator to move back summer vacation for schools to April and May amid the hot...

Read more

Maynilad: Brace for longer daily water interruptions next week

byOthel V. Camposand3 others
March 30, 2023, 1:10 am
0
8
Satellite captures traces of long oil slick in Verde Island Passage

Maynilad on Wednesday said it has begun daily service interruptions to preserve the remaining supply of water in the Angat-Ipo...

Read more

Ex-Gov. Teves signs waiver for phone, bank records

byManila Standard
March 30, 2023, 1:00 am
0
8
Southwoods nails Seniors’ Fil golf crown

Former Negros Oriental Governor Pryde Henry Teves on Wednesday filed a waiver allowing the Department of Justice to probe his...

Read more

P4-b shabu packed in tea bags seized in Baguio

byManila Standard
March 30, 2023, 12:50 am
0
8
P4-b shabu packed in tea bags seized in Baguio

Police and anti-drug operatives seized 575 kilos of suspected shabu, stored in tea bags, worth around P4 billion and arrested...

Read more

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

ABOUT US

Manila Standard

Manila Standard website (manilastandard.net), launched in August 2002, extends the newspaper’s reach beyond its traditional readers and makes its brand of Philippine news and opinion available to a much wider and geographically diverse readership here and overseas.

Digital Edition

In tone and content, the online edition mirrors the editorial thrust of the newspaper. While hewing to the traditional precepts of fairness and objectivity, MS believes the news of the day need not be staid, overly long or dry. Stories are succinct, readable and written in a lively style that has become a hallmark of the newspaper.

Download – Today’s Paper

Search

No Result
View All Result

6th Floor Universal Re Bldg., 106 Paseo De Roxas cor. Perea Street, Legaspi Village, 1226 Makati City Philippines

Trunklines: 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Pop.Life
    • Newsmakers
    • Hangouts
    • A-Pop
    • Post Its
    • Performances
    • Malls & Bazaars
    • Hobbies & Collections
  • Technology
    • Gadgets
    • Computers
    • Business
    • Tech Plus
  • MS ON THE ROAD
    • Sedan
    • SUV
    • Truck
    • Bike
    • Accessories
    • Motoring Plus
    • Commuter’s Corner
  • Home & Design
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Construction
    • Interior
  • Spotlight
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Events
    • Seminars
    • Exhibits
    • Community
  • Biyahero
    • Travel Features
    • Travel Reels
    • Travel Logs
  • Pets
  • Advertise with Us

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Install Manila Standard Web App

Install App