Consumer group bucks  higher tax for junk foods

CEBU, Philippines — Bantay Palengke, an organization of Filipino consumers, has registered their opposition to the recommendation of Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno to levy additional taxes on high sodium food products and sugary drinks.

Bantay Palengke convenor Lester Codog said that any additional tax is an additional price burden.

“We know for a fact that many poor Filipinos rely on cheap instant noodles and canned goods due to our current economic situation. How will they manage their meager budget if we will add another 10 pesos on every 100 grams of affordable products that can help them ease hunger?” said Codog, in a statement.

Diokno proposed to impose a P10 tax per 100 grams or P10 per 100 milliliters of prepackaged food products that have either high salt or high sugar content.

The finance chief also asserted that these new taxes are “proactive measures to [address] diabetes, obesity and non-communicable diseases related to poor diet.”

“We don’t argue on the health issues resulting from the consumption of junk food. Pero ang junk food para sa iilan ay pantawid-gutom para sa mas marami nating kababayan. There are other ways to approach this problem without adding another burden to our people. As for the need for revenue, we suggest that the government address the inefficiency in our tax collection first and plug the leaks in revenue collection,” Codog added.

Senator Imee Marcos, in a press conference in Cebu recently, said it is her hope that the government will be able to differentiate local and imported sugar and salt.

“Sana may differentiation sa taxes between local and imported. Kasi yung fructose corn syrup which is imported is bad for our health. Kasi kung mataas yung taxes sa ating local sugar producers kawawa naman,” said Marcos.

Bantay Palengke is also looking to propose ways for the government to subsidize healthy food such as fruits and vegetables so poor people will be able to afford more nutritious food.

Meanwhile, health advocates celebrated the start of the effectivity of the ban on industrially-produced trans fatty acids or iTFA in pre-packaged and processed foods in the country.

Issued in 2021, Department of Health (DOH) Administrative Order 2021-0039 and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Circular 2021-028 and 2021-028A gave food manufacturers until June 18, 2023 to reformulate and remove trans fatty acids or trans fats from their products or face sanctions.

Dr. Parolita Mission, regional program coordinator of the National Nutrition Council-7, welcomed this latest development.

Mission said, in a press conference for the upcoming 49th Nutrition Month, that food with trans fats or high in trans fats causes heart attack and other forms of cardiovascular diseases.

Products that are traditionally high in iTFA include margarine, coffee creamer, and baked goods such as donuts and cookies, among others.