Pacquiao mulls raising taxes on liquor products

Senator Manny Pacquiao. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from increasing the excise tax on tobacco products, Senator Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday said he is also considering raising taxes on alcoholic products.

During the Senate hearing on a bill seeking to increase tobacco excise tax, Pacquiao said that it would be better to raise the tax on alcoholic products instead of raising taxes on basic needs of Filipinos such as water, food, and rice.

“I’m thinking also to raise the taxes sa liquor. ‘Yung mga liquor, alcohol, kailangan natin itaas yung mga taxes nyan dahil kung sa pagkain tayo magtataas, ilang tao ang magsakripisyo, ilang tao ang maghihirap,” Pacquiao said in his opening statement.

The Senate committee on public ways and means is currently holding a hearing on several bills seeking to increase the excise tax on tobacco products.

Pacquiao earlier filed Senate Bill 1599 seeking to raise cigarette excise tax to P60 per pack, while Senator Sherwin Gatchalian proposes to increase tobacco excise tax to P70 per pack.

READ: Raising tax on tobacco will help fund universal health care — Pacquiao

President Rodrigo Duterte has also approved the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Finance’s (DOF) proposal to increase excise tax on tobacco products. /je

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