DOH wants salty foods, including daing, taxed

MANILA, Philippines — Crispy fried daing (sun-dried fish) is a popular breakfast food in the Philippines, especially when dipped in spiced vinegar and paired with garlic fried rice and sunny side up egg.

But this Filipino favorite, and other salted foods, may soon be slapped with taxes as the Department of Health seeks to reduce sodium intake among Filipinos and improve their health.

"Salt is directly correlated to hypertension, heart disease, kidney diseases," Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said in a press conference at the presidential palace.

"So, this is something that we want to study that if we tax salted food, it can have a positive outcome on our health," Domingo added in a mix of English and Filipino.

Asked if daing will be included in the possible list of salty foods that will be taxed, the health official replied: “Yes, it should be included—it will include all foods.”

"There’s nothing concrete right now but it’s something the Department of Health is studying," he added.

A bill seeking to impose “salt tax” failed to pass in the 17th Congress.

A tax reform law signed in 2017 introduced an excise tax on sugar-sweetened drinks as a health measure.

The Department of Finance and the DOH are also pushing for an increase in sin tax to help fund a universal healthcare system in the Philippines.