Sin tax bill plenary deliberations eyed this week

MANILA, Philippines — The bill seeking to raise taxes on tobacco products will be reported out in the Senate plenary today, but with less than two weeks left before the 17th Congress adjourns, it remains uncertain whether the measure will be passed or not.

Sen. Sonny Angara, chairman of the ways and means committee, is expected to present to the plenary this afternoon his panel’s report on three bills seeking to raise excise taxes on tobacco products.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, author of one of the bills, admitted it would be difficult to pass the measure with only five session days left and many reservations raised by several of his colleagues on the new round of taxes.

“This week is very critical,” Gatchalian told radio station dzBB over the weekend. The senator’s bill seeks to impose P70 excise tax on cigarettes per pack and nine percent tax every year thereafter.

He said he hopes that interpellation or debates on the committee report start today and finish tomorrow, followed by the period of amendments on Wednesday.

Gatchalian, however, conceded his hoped-for timetable was almost unrealistic as it assumes that none or only one or two of his colleagues will be interpellating.

Last week, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III pleaded to senators to pass a new round of sin taxes before Congress adjourns, but lawmakers were non-committal.

Dominguez made a pitch for the increased taxes on tobacco products in a closed-door meeting with senators, citing the need to fund the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.