TRAIN supports healthy lifestyle programs — DOH

MANILA, Philippines — With higher taxes on cigarettes and sweetened beverages under the newly enacted Tax Reform For Accreditation and Inclusion (TRAIN), there will likely be fewer cases of non-communicable diseases in the country next year, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

“The TRAIN law provides for an increase in taxes of cigarettes and sugar-sweetened beverages that will support the DOH programs on the promotion of healthy lifestyles and prevention and control of non-communicable diseases,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said yesterday.

“The TRAIN law is a welcome gift of President Duterte for the Filipino people,” Duque added.

Though the DOH welcomes the passage of the TRAIN law, Duque expressed hope that the President will veto certain provision in the measure, particularly on the cigarette tax.

Duque said he had sent a letter to the President seeking higher taxes on cigarettes.

“The tax on cigarettes provided under TRAIN seems to be low, so we sent a letter… of our recommendation. We are now just waiting for what the Office of the President will decide on,” Duque disclosed.

The health chief said the DOH is pushing for higher taxes on cigarettes to discourage more people from smoking and ultimately reduce tobacco-related diseases.

Duque noted that the President has the power to veto certain provisions of the TRAIN.

Health officials are hoping the President will directly earmark funds from TRAIN for health programs.    

Additional resources generated from TRAIN, Duque said, could be utilized to subsidize the government’s health care reform agenda of providing universal health care to all Filipinos.

Duque said the TRAIN also supports the initiatives of the DOH to lower prices of medicine by exempting from the 12 percent value added tax all drugs for diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension.

“The DOH will be monitoring drug prices to ensure that VAT exemption on medicine will redound to more affordable prices to consumers,” Duque said.

He also said the DOH supports a higher pricing policy for less healthy food and beverages as part of the multi-pronged strategy to combat non-communicable diseases.

The enactment of the TRAIN also drew praises from the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, particularly for the provision raising excise taxes on coal products from P10 per metric ton to P50 and up to P150 over the next three years.

“The historic coal tax hike is a courageous start even if the playing field remains biased towards expensive, polluting, subsidized coal. We intend to work harder to ensure real competition prevails in the power sector,” Red Constantino, the advocacy group’s executive director, said. – With Rhodina Villanueva