Experts bat for new 'sin taxes' to address NCDs

MANILA, Philippines – Disease experts and anti-tobacco advocates yesterday pushed for new “sin taxes” to forestall a possible “health crisis” brought about by the increasing cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country.

In a statement, Dr. Anthony Leachon, a cardiologist and a consultant on NCDs, and Dr. Antonio Dans, a clinical epidemiologist at the University of the Philippines’ College of Medicine, said the country stands to suffer if no new sin taxes are passed within this year.

They warned that NCDs like cancer and heart diseases have reached an alarming level in the country.

“More than 200,000 Filipinos die annually from NCDs. This is larger than any epidemic we have ever seen in the country,” said Dans.

Leachon maintained that the young and the poor will be most afflicted with this “silent” crisis which is caused by unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle and addiction to cigarettes, among other factors.

In the past three years, smoking among the youth has increased by an alarming 40 percent. In 2009, the lowest 30 percent of the population spent more than double the amount of the higher 70 percent on tobacco, according to the statement. 

“We need to save the young and poor. Right now, they are the backbone of the nation, its workforce. A sick workforce means a sick nation,” Leachon said.

Dr. Maricar Limpin, executive director of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines, said there is a need for legislators to come up with new sin taxes to “stem the rising tide of NCDs” in the Philippines.

“The most effective way to keep the young and the poor from smoking is through increasing the price of cigarettes. For this, our lawmakers must reform our tobacco tax system at the soonest possible time. The President, in fact, has already endorsed this as an urgent measure,” she said.

The experts said the country’s sin tax law that was signed in 2004 is full of “fatal flaws.”

Jo-ann Latuja of the Action for Economic Reforms has underscored the need to incorporate key changes in future sin taxes “to halt the chilling upsurge of NCDs — abolishing the 1996 freeze on price brackets, imposing a unitary tax scheme, and adjusting tax rates to future increases in inflation.”

“Combined with a high enough raise in tax rates, these reforms will save at least 300,000 lives. They will also help fund the government’s pro-poor Universal Health Care program and offer alternative livelihoods for tobacco farmers,” Latuja said.

The advocates argued that the revenues generated by the government from the present sin taxes are not enough to cover the health expenditures for those who develop NCDs.

They support the sin tax bill filed by Cavite Rep. Emilio Abaya which they believe will “protect the country’s young and the poor, and avert the perils of a national health catastrophe.”