Cayetano backs proposed vape tax hike

TAGUIG CITY, Philippines — The government should proceed with its push to increase tax rates on e-cigarettes or vape products, Speaker Alan Cayetano said Thursday.

“Ang tingin ko dapat ituloy pero mag-uusap pa kami ni congressman Salceda sa Monday (I think the government should proceed with the proposed vape tax hike but I will talk to Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda about this on Monday),” Cayetano said in an interview in this city.

Salceda is the chair of the House ways and means committee whose House Bill No. 1026 hiking taxes on liquor, heated tobacco, and vapor products had been approved by the House last August.

READ: House to propose higher tax rate for e-cigarettes in ‘sin tax’ bill

Although he admitted tax hikes may have many consequences, Cayetano said he still backs the proposed laws that would regulate and gradually increase excise taxes on heated tobacco and vapor products.

“Sa ngayon kasi napakaliit ng tax eh, meron eh. So if we don’t do anything about it, mananatili dyan. And then kailangan naman talaga na may batas na magre-regulate,” Cayetano said.

(As of now the taxes on vape products are low. This will stay if don’t do anything about this. And then we also need a law that would regulate these products.)

President Rodrigo Duterte had certified as urgent Senate Bill No. 1074 as he called for a ban on the importation and the use of vapes in public spaces. Bills from the Senate and the House will have to be reconciled and approved by both chambers before it could be up for Duterte’s approval.

READ: Duterte bans use, importation of e-cigarettes

Edited by JE