MANILA, Philippines — The World Health Organization (WHO) pointed out on Monday that raising the tax on tobacco products to P60 would not only help fund the government’s health care programs but also help save the lives of around 460,000 persons. “We know that individually, especially for the poorest segment of the society, increasing [the price of] tobacco will actually help them save money. It’s a win for the government as well because it is raising important funds for UHC [universal health care].”Based on WHO’s estimate, raising the tobacco tax to P60 will help prevent the deaths of 460,000 persons due to smoking-related diseases. On the other hand, a tax rate of P45 a pack will help save the lives of 300,000 individuals. On Monday, the Senate was expected to tackle the tobacco tax bill, which Health Secretary Francisco Duque III stressed was primarily a health rather than a revenue measure.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer June 03, 2019 11:48 UTC