Congress urged to increase tobacco taxes

World No Tobacco Day in the Philippines had one clear message: It’s time to impose higher taxes on cigarettes. “The sin tax is really a win-win situation. You don't want to pay? Good! Then you stop smoking," said economist and former smoker turned anti-smoking advocate Winnie Monsod during the Tobacco Control Summit 2011 in Cubao, Quezon City. On Tuesday, May 31, is World No Tobacco day. Raising tobacco taxes is one of the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI). According to the WHO, “tobacco taxes are the most effective way to reduce tobacco use, especially among young people and the poor." Meanwhile, the Metro Manila Development Authority announced Friday that it would be enforcing a smoking ban in public places starting Monday. Better for everyone Monsod recalled a meeting wherein a former Department of Health (DOH) secretary opposed raising sin taxes because of how it would impact the poor. “That's how it is," she explains. “You feel na kawawa naman yung mahihirap, but once they start smoking, they affect their families, their health," she said. A recent Southeast Asian study indicated that in the Philippines, cigarette costs remain extremely low. According to a WHO study, a 10-percent increase in tobacco taxes results in a four-percent decrease of tobacco consumption in high-income countries and an eight-percent increase in low- and middle-income countries. There are several bills at the House of Representatives that seek to impose additional taxes on cigarettes. Late last week, Batanes Rep. Henedina Abad cautioned House ways and means committee chair and Batangas Rep. Herminaldo Mandanas against rushing the passage of a sin tax bill, saying it might result in a half-baked law. Abad is the author of House Bill (HB) 3465, one of the seven tobacco bills being deliberated by the committee, while Mandanas authored another one of the bills, HB 3059. The committee is set to meet Tuesday in order to start consolidating the bill. For Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance, Philippines (FCAP) Executive Director Dr. Maricar Limpin, the income generated by the increase would help increase the government’s coffers and fund treatment for tobacco-related diseases. Several of the bills pending at the House of Representatives designate part of the funds collected from tobacco to health services for tobacco-related sickness. According to the DOH, 10 Filipinos die every day because of smoking and second-hand smoke. Currently, the money collected from the tobacco industry is much less than the DOH’s expenses from tobacco-related diseases. “How stupid is that? We're getting revenue that is not enough to cover the smoking-related illnesses," Monsod said. Monsod was also referring to Mandanas’ tobacco bill that she said was based on something she advocated six years ago. She added that further study would be needed to determine the specific tax rate that would satisfy the needs of the health sector. An increase in tobacco taxes, Limpin said, would also hopefully translate to a decrease in consumption. She added that in a country with barely enough resources to meet basic health care needs, the added expenses incurred by tobacco-related illnesses simply won’t do. ‘Weak link’ Aside from taxation, another crucial factor for anti-smoking advocates is the strengthening of smoking cessation programs. In the Philippines, therapy is the usual route as pharmacotherapy is too expensive, said internal medicine and adult pulmonary medicine specialist Dr. Leonora Canizares-Fernandez, who also spoke during the summit. A 2009 study by the WHO reported that nearly 30 percent of Filipinos smoke, similar to the results of a study by the Global Adult Tobacco Survey. Of these, almost 61 percent want to stop smoking. In the end though, only 4.5 percent successfully quit. “There’s really an addiction there. If it’s just a habit, then it would’ve been easier to quit," Fernandez said. Smokers, Fernandez said, should be perceived as victims. “Smokers are not contrabida. They should be considered victims of nicotine addiction," she said, adding that nicotine addiction and dependence is a disease in itself. In order to make cessation programs effective, Fernandez said that participation is needed at the grassroots. Healthcare providers themselves should have a no-smoking practice. During the forum, the municipality of Amlan in Negros Oriental was highlighted as a case study for a smoke free community. Amlan has been smoke free for nearly two years now following the passage of the “Smoke Free Ordinance Municipality of Amlan." “It’s important that we win the hearts and minds of the people. And we have to convince ourselves first," said Amlan Mayor Bentham dela Cruz. The ordinance has since been embraced by various sectors of the Amlan community. In July 2011, the municipality plans to have smoke free homes. Three other local government units in the Philippines have smoke free policies in the country—Davao City, Makati City and Talisayan in Misamis Oriental. Challenge legislators, each other Monsod, meanwhile, challenged the attendees of the forum. Monsod asked the doctors in the hall to raise their hands if they are smokers. According to industry reports, nearly 30 percent of doctors in the Philippines are smokers themselves. “What an embarrassment!" the feisty TV personality said. Last year, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) issued a memorandum circular that ordered doctors to quit smoking. “If you’re a doctor, people see you as the model for health," PMA President Dr. Oscar Tinio explained.

“So if [people] see something wrong with the doctor, if the doctors are doing something which should not be… lalakas ang loob nila to do the same thing," he said. According to the order, Philippine doctors are 1) discouraged from smoking, 2) encouraged to quit smoking if they already do, 3) obliged to ask patients if they smoke, and 4) inform their patients of the ill effects of tobacco use. “This is our way of participating [in the advocacy against smoking] short of lobbying in Congress or the Senate," he added. Monsod, meanwhile, urged people to do their part in the group’s advocacy. “We don’t have the money to advertise for tobacco taxation," she said. Instead, she urged people to send text messages to radio stations since “for sure, it’s going to be read by the commentator." “If there is this thing coming from all over the country, whatever the message is, that is more than enough to compensate [for our lack of resources]," she added. Limpin said public sentiment on tobacco taxes have been positive. “[Filipinos] know that tobacco does nothing but cause death," she said. The move will also discourage lawmakers from being swayed by the tobacco industry, Monsod said. “Come up with a cogent argument and then just sell it. I tell you, can you imagine, nobody can beat the communicating power of text," she said. — KBK, GMA News