Press Release
January 29, 2019

SEN. EMMANUEL D. PACQUIAO OPENING STATEMENT- TOBACCO TAX INCREASE HEARING

MAGANDANG UMAGA SA CHAIRMAN NG COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS, SENATOR SONNY ANGARA, SA MGA RESOURCE PERSONS, AT SA ATING MGA KABABAYAN.

I AM A HEALTH ADVOCATE. OUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. WHEN WE TAKE CARE OF OUR BODIES, WE GLORIFY GOD. WHEN WE ABUSE OUR BODIES, WE DISHONOR GOD.

Smoking has been established as an unhealthy lifestyle. We are here to fight smoking, the toxic and dangerous enemy of the human body. Nandito po tayo ngayong umaga upang isulong ang PAGTAAS ng TOBACCO TAX.

My main objective for proposing Senate Bill 1599 is TO SAVE LIVES. This bill which I filed in October 2017 enjoys the support of the Department of Health and the Department of Finance. President Rodrigo Duterte even approved the recommendation of the DOH and DOF to back this bill.

Kasalukuyang mayroong 13 milyong Pilipinong naninigarilyo. Ayon sa mga pag-aaral, pagdating ng taong 2022, madadagdagan pa ito ng 1.2 Million.

Most of the victims are from the youth and marginalized sectors, people who have no means of paying for the harmful effects of smoking. WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE YOUTH FROM SMOKING WHICH IS HIGHLY ADDICTING.

TOBACCO TAX INCREASE WILL HELP RAISE REVENUES. MAGKAKAROON NG FUNDING ANG UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE.

We need that, but remember: THERE ARE OTHER BENEFITS BEYOND THE REVENUES AND FUNDING.

By INCREASING TOBACCO TAX, we would be able to prevent an estimated 850,000 new smokers on the first year of implementation. Kapag may ginawa tayo, kaya nating pigilan ang masamang epekto ng paninigarilyo.

PAALALA SA MGA NANINIGARILYO: THE CHEMICALS IN CIGARETTE SMOKE ARE TOXIC AND POISONOUS. HINDI LAMANG KATAWAN NINYO ANG APEKTADO. DAMAY DIN ANG MGA TAO SA PALIGID NINYO. MAS MATINDI ANG EPEKTO NG SECOND HAND OR THIRD HAND SMOKE SA MGA MAHAL NINYO SA BUHAY.

NAKAKATAKOT ISIPIN NA ANG POSIBLENG BIKTIMA NG MASAMANG EPEKTO NG SIGARILYO AY ANG MGA MAHAL NATIN SA BUHAY--- POSIBLENG ANG ATING KAPATID, TATAY, NANAY, O MAGING ANG MGA ANAK NATIN.

HAHAYAAN BA NATIN ITO?

With this, I firmly urge the committee to agree to the appropriate rates to approve this very urgent measure before the session ends.

Maraming salamat po.

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