Docs press Congress on sin taxes

MANILA, Philippines—A group of doctors on Friday urged lawmakers to pass the sin tax reform law to curb smoking among young and poor Filipinos.

The Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) said the passage of the law was needed to counter the high prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases such as heart ailments and cancer, which are responsible for 60 percent of deaths in the Philippines.

“Congress can expect us to be more active in legislative advocacy to urge our legislators to… save [the young and the poor] from contracting  deadly tobacco-related diseases,” according to Dr. Tony Leachon, PCP treasurer.

The PCP is an umbrella organization of over 7,600 internists in the Philippines and an affiliate society of the Philippine Medical Association.