Two-tier tax on salt used in food, drinks pushed

INQUIRER.net stock photo

MANILA, Philippines —- A health advocates’ party-list lawmaker on Sunday sought taxes on the amount of salt used in food and drinks to generate more funds for the Universal Health Care Act.

Barangay Health and Wellness (BHW) party list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co pushed for a two-tier tax on low-and high-sodium food and beverages to encourage the manufacture of less salty and healthier products.

“That will encourage producers of processed food to shift to low-sodium products to bring down high health costs from too much consumption of salty food,” Co said in a statement on Sunday.

She pointed out that revenues from the two-tier tax collection from sodium could be used as additional funding for the Universal Health Care Act.

Co pointed out that high sodium consumption greatly increases health risks and medical costs because salty diets lead to cardiovascular and kidney disorders.

—JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE

RELATED STORIES

No new taxes please, gov’t urged

Paying record-high PH debt: Duterte team sees higher, more taxes as way out

Escudero: Gov’t must not resort to new, higher taxes to pay PH debt