Press Release
October 17, 2012

Transcript of Interviews of Senator Franklin M. Drilon
On the Sin Tax Bill

I wanted to have a meeting today but the schedules are very tight. There is the budget of the Department of Budget and Management at 1:30pm; a caucus at 3:00pm. I will try to see if I can get a consensus from the committee members on this issue.

Yes, they were invited on a matter that does not directly go into the rates of sin tax, but on the issue on what transpired during the past few days, particularly on the statements made by the Finance people that the rates in the committee report for the tobacco tax does not meet the expected revenue goals. The caucus is not on the merits and demerits of the tax rate, but more on the issue on the relationship between the pertinent Cabinet official and the other side.

(On the possibility the committee will start from scratch)

I don't believe so. I have attended all the committee hearings that were called. The committee report was signed by the majority; many of them have no comments or qualifications, other proposed amendments. It is a committee report approved by all the members of the committee, or by the majority of the members. I don't think there is a need to start from scratch.

(Q: Are you inclined to retain the report?

That is a personal inclination but I will consult the other members.

We will pick it up from where Senator Recto left. Patuloy po nating pag-aaralan at sa aking tingin po ay sa pagbalik po namin ay maaari na nating umpisahan ang debate. Tama po iyan, iyan po ay ating magiging basehan ng debate pagdating sa plenary. Sa akin, nung pumirma ako, sinabi ko na pagdating ng tamang panahon, ako ay magsusumite ng amendment na sa aking tingin ay makapagbibigay ng lunas sa ating problemang 17 milyong Pilipino ang nagkakasakit. Itong tinatawag nating Sin Tax o anti-cancer bill, sang-ayon sa mga datos, ay makatutulong na mabawasan ang antas ng mga Pilipinong naniigarilyo. Sa katunayan, habang nag-uusap tayo, 10 Pilipino ang namamatay bawat oras sa paninigarilyo. Ito po ay dapat nating bigyan ng lunas.

Hindi na po tayo tatawag ng public hearing dahilan mayroon nang sapat na record ang committee. Ito po ay committee report, hindi lamang report ni Senator Recto. Majority po ng members ng committee ay sumang-ayon sa report, although may mga variations, inaprubahan po ang report na ito. Kung

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