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Tag: HB5727

HB5727: more revenues, less poison for the people

Published by Ellen on May 7, 2012

Update: Last Wednesday, the House Ways and Means Committee, voting 46-14, passed HB5727.

Use money to kill yourself to improve lives of less fortunate.
The fact that House Bill 5727 has reached this far at the House Ways and Means Committee bodes well for the legislation that aims to raise sin taxes making it more expensive for Filipinos to ruin their health.

The Ways and means committee, chaired by Davao City (3rd district) Rep. Isidro T. Ungab , tackles a legislations and related matters concerning fiscal, monetary and financial affairs of the national government including tariff, taxation, revenues, borrowing, credit and bonded indebtedness. All revenue- related bills emanate from the House of Representatives.

Lobbying in that committee by alcohol and tobacco manufacturers is known to be intense. That’s why many congressmen want to be in that committee. It’s a lucrative committee. That’s also why bills like HB5727, an Act restructuring the excise tax on alcohol and tobacco products authored by Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio “Jun” Abaya, is difficult to pass. In Tagalog, we say, kabangga mo ang pader.

Continue readingHB5727: more revenues, less poison for the people

Making consumption of sin products expensive

Published by Ellen on May 1, 2012

If you have not yet signed the manifesto for HB 5727, it’s time you take a look at it.

There’s one in Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=260011474082380

HB 5727, authored by Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, calls for the restructuring of the excise tax on alcohol and tobacco products. The rationale is that, if prices for what we refer to as sin products were to be increased, it would become less affordable to many people, especially the poor. They would then be saved from the ill effects of alcohol and cigarettes. We would then become a healthier nation.

The manifesto explains the financial advantage to the government and to the Filipino of higher taxes for alcohol and cigarettes. It says, “ On the first year of implementation, the government is expected to raise additional revenues worth P60 billion, of which, P30 billion is from cigarettes, P11 from distilled spirits and P19 billion is from beer.”

Continue readingMaking consumption of sin products expensive