Sen. Pia to store owners: Make sure alcopops are not accessible to kids

Senator Pia Cayetano shows one of those so-called alcopops during a Senate hearing. Photo from Office of Sen. Pia Cayetano

MANILA, Philippines—After calling out alcopop manufacturers to change the packaging of their product, Senator Pia Cayetano is now urging store owners to ensure that these flavored alcoholic drinks are not accessible to children.

During a Senate hearing on tax of alcoholic beverages, Cayetano asked that alcopops be pulled out from stores and its colorful packaging be replaced as it was made to look like a “colorful” child-friendly drink when it actually has alcohol content.

READ: Cayetano wants alcopops out of store shelves, repackaged

Cayetano chairs the Senate committee on ways and means, the panel in charge of tackling tax-related measures.

“Can you at least check, hindi lang alcopops, baka may iba pa diyan, that all products that are meant to be sold to adults are only sold to adults,” the senator told store owners during a weekly press briefing in Malate, Manila.

The senator also proposed that stores should make sure that customers are of legal age for them to buy alcopops and other alcoholic beverages.

She then reiterated her appeal to manufacturers to do what is “ethically correct” and change the packaging of alcopops.

At present, alcopops are taxed at only P1.20 a liter since these are treated as distilled products but the government is proposing that the tax be increased to P8 per pack.

The Department of Finance is seeking to increase sin taxes to help fund the government’s programs under the universal health care law. /jpv

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