HELLO, TORONTO!
First, Comm. Kim Henares of the Bureau of Internal Revenue expressed her feelings of betrayal over a favoured Senate version by Sen. Ralph Recto of the Sin Tax Bill. If approved, the Recto version would greatly reduce the projected government income through sin tax from 60 to 15 billion pesos (Php 60billion down to Php 15billion). Recto is chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means The Recto version is being presented as an alternative to a sin tax bill authored by Sen Miriam D. Santiago that would provide additional income to government through an increase in excise tax revenues from 25 to 54 billion Philippine Pesos a decrease in smoking habit by Pinoys by 8% and the prevention of an annual 130,000 deaths caused by smoking prevented.
Now comes former Sen. Juan Flavier, very jolly and popular during his stint at the Health Department and the Senate, but exhibiting some fang this time as he assails the very watered- down version that the Recto committee has come up with. Flavier alleges that the Recto formula has prioritized the interests of the tobacco lobby over the health of millions of Filipinos. Flavier further reminds one and all that the sin tax bill was originally an anticancer tax measure against a breakout and spread of a lung cancer epidemic because of the large number of citizens availing and smoking of cheap cigarettes. It will be remembered that it was during his leadership at the Department of Health that the movement YOSI KADIRI was launched, a movement which gave information and enlightened the citizens on the ill effects of smoking. Flavier also championed the cause of the family planning movement inspite the strong opposition of the Catholic Church. Flavier today urges lawmakers to favour the recommendations of the World Bank and the World Health Organization on stiff taxes for sin products (tobacco and alcohol) to curb bad habits and generate revenue for healthcare.
Meantime, the bill’s author herself, Sen. Santiago gave warning that she will mobilize the citizens themselves to vote down the Recto version and uphold her bill. Opinion columnists are likewise expressing their opposition to Recto’s proposal- strongest of these is economist Solita Monsod who feels a connivance happening under our noses between Recto and the tobacco lobby.
‘Bakit nga ba ganun?’, the people ask Ms. Monsod.
Ms. Monsod says she was just one of many who were flabbergasted when Sen. Recto laid down his own proposal after Santiago’s bill was discussed in his committee. In the last hearing, tagumpay na tagumpay naman ang labas ng Santiago bill as authorities upheld Santiago’s facts and figures. The attendees from the tobacco lobby had to accept that their justifications were shot down one by one by authorities that included Finance Sec. Cesar Purisima, health Sec. Enrique Ona, BIR Comm. Kim Henares as well as medical authorities and civil society groups led by Bangkok- based Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance. The tobacco lobby naman had the support of Philippine Tobacco Institute, and the representatives of tobacco companies in the country. The Sept. 20 hearing, according to Monsod, cut to shreds data present-ed by the tobacco lobby.
Panalo the health and finance lobby during the hearing….but…
Sen Recto came up with a totally different version which he claims is reasonable, realistic, and responsible. Monsod counters that it is ridiculous because it favors the tobacco lobby and not his constituency, the people. It even comes with a 3- tiered excise tax schedule (Santiago’s has a unitary tax) which will take some years before it is converted into unitary.
And so it looks like mahaba- haba at makumplikado na namang discus-sion over a bill which many have hoped to bring solutions to 2 Pinoy problems- additional funding for health care and ayusin some ill habits of the Pinoy(smoking and inebriating himself too much). The Senate, led by its head, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile says for us and the President not to expect them to be a rubber stamp of anyone. The Senators will discuss and debate and finally come up with a bill that they can justify, Enrile says.
The people hope so- Enrile is said to seem to favour Recto’s proposal of a 3- tiered tax rate for sin products companies.
It will indeed be a lively time when the newest sin tax bill version is discussed in and out of the august halls of the Senate. Monsod and company, netizens, Flavier, etc on one side and the pro Recto guys at the Senate and the tobacco lobby in the other.
Hoping that they will come up with a bill that will provide answers to the concerns of our country. The best and most advantageous answers, take note.
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I welcome my dear anak anakan, Jalmyn Poral home after a couple of years’ stint as nurse in Saudi Arabia. She is staying with me in Cubao while she applies for another overseas job and then going home to GenSantos City to be with her parents and family for a long vacation.
Thank you, Toronto!
