THE House Committees on Ways and Means and Health on Monday began deliberations on proposals to raise taxes on sweetened beverages as lawmakers explore fiscal measures to discourage excessive sugar consumption and help reduce the growing burden of diet-related diseases in the country.
At least five measures are under consideration: House Bills (HBs) 5003, 5969, 10712, 10925 and 10996, authored respectively by Rep. Cielo Krisel Lagman (Albay 1st District), Rep. Antonino Roman III (Bataan 1st District), Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. (Manila 6th District), Rep. Alyssa Michaela “Mica” Gonzales (Pampanga 3rd District), and Rep. Antolin Oreta III (Malabon Lone District).
House Committee on Health Chairperson and Batanes Rep. Ciriaco B. Gato Jr. said taxation can complement broader government efforts to promote healthier lifestyles by discouraging the excessive consumption of sugar and products associated with increased health risks.
“Beyond impact on health, poor nutrition also places a heavy burden on productivity and the country’s long-term development,” Gato said.
He noted that diet-related illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers have become major causes of death in the Philippines, with poor diets contributing to more than 30,000 premature deaths in 2021 alone.
The pending measures propose to increase the excise tax on sweetened beverages using purely caloric or non-caloric sweeteners from the current ₱6 per liter to between ₱9 and ₱20 per liter, depending on the bill. For beverages using purely high-fructose corn syrup, the proposed rates range from ₱18 to ₱40 per liter, up from the current ₱12.
Some of the proposals would also expand the coverage of the sweetened beverage tax to include products such as flavored milk, fermented milk, flavored non-dairy milk, and sweetened coffee products.
Lagman proposed the annual indexation of the tax rates to preserve their effectiveness in discouraging sweetened beverage consumption, citing studies on consumption patterns following the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act in 2018. She also pushed for a portion of revenues from the tax to be earmarked for nutrition programs implemented by local government units.
Roman’s measure, meanwhile, seeks to strengthen congressional oversight of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions supported by the Local Government Support Fund through amendments to Section 290 of the National Internal Revenue Code.
Ways and Means Committee Chairperson and Marikina City Rep. Miro S. Quimbo said the committees would continue scrutinizing the proposals to strike the proper balance between their health objectives and their fiscal and economic implications.
Quimbo stressed that revenue policy should ultimately contribute not only to raising government resources but also to building a healthier and more productive population—one capable of earning higher incomes and enjoying a better quality of life.
metrosundaily
