Do you support the proposal of Sen. Miriam Santiago to increase taxes on unhealthy foods?

Ryan Pahimulin, Rizal: If some foods are really dangerous or unhealthy for consumption, then they should not be taxed, they should be banned instead.

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: Sen. Miriam’s proposal is good for the government’s coffers as well as for the pockets and health of consumers.

Revenue generation

Jim Veneracion, Naga City: Yes, I support Sen. Miriam’s proposal. I also propose that the increased tax on unhealthy foods be incorporated under sin taxes.

Healthy diet

Louella Brown, Baguio City: I support the proposal of Sen. Miriam Santiago to increase the taxes on unhealthy foods. It will generate funds and will force us to eat healthy foods, too.

Jeff Villar, Capiz: Hala, bira Ma’m Miriam! Kaya ka nga namin binoto para pangalagaan mo kami, lalo na ang kalusugan ng mga Pinoy.

J. R. Mondonedo Jr., Parañaque City: Yes, I think it’s a great idea because that way, people would think twice about buying unhealthy foods for their families because of the price.

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: This will be a subtle way of discouraging Filipinos from buying foods that are detrimental to their health, pretty much like the sin products.

L.C. Fiel, Quezon City: A big yes. Who needs unhealthy foods anyway?

Felix Ramento, USA: Yes, tax the manufacturers. Promote and encourage cheap but healthy food instead. Public health must be the foremost concern of the government.

Desuel Pardo, Mandaluyong City: Yes, the bill may not be intended to increase government revenues but to take away the attention of children from unhealthy foods.

Elmo Cruz, Manila: By increasing the taxes on unhealthy foods, their selling price would also go up, which may discourage consumers from patronizing them.

Lydia Reyes, Bataan: At least may sense ang kanyang proposal. I will support it. That way, the public would no longer patronize expensive and unhealthy foods.

Yes, increasing taxes on unhealthy foods would make these products more expensive and thus deter people from eating them and becoming obese. People eat a lot of unhealthy foods because it’s cheap and Johann Lucas, Quezon City: convenient. If these foods were more expensive, people would probably eat less of this kind and cook healthier meals at home.

Dr. Jose Balcanao, Benguet: Increasing taxes on unhealthy foods would mean longer lives for those who indulge in junk foods because such eaters will now shift to nutritional foods.

John Lloyd Malana, Ilocos Sur: Yes, food and drinks like hamburger, hotdog, pizza, and doughnut, white bread and soft drinks cause obesity that lead to coronary blockage. Besides junk foods, tobacco products and alcoholic drinks should also be taxed more. Our cigarettes and alcoholic drinks are 90 per cent cheaper than those sold in other countries.

Jose Nobela, Albay: Yes, this is a legislative proposal that we must support. By doing this, consumers of unhealthy foods will be prevented from buying these products. With this initiative, not only consumers are burdened but more so producers. If properly implemented, the risk of cancer and other ailments among Filipinos will be lessened, if not totally eliminated.

Luzviminda Morta, Albay: Yes, this is consistent with the state’s advocacy to promote a sound and healthy Philippine society. With the prevalence of junk foods comes various health-related diseases, including cancer.

Wrong impression

Celina Denis Javier, Ilocos Sur: Increasing the taxes on these unhealthy foods might give people the impression that they are of high quality. Why not try phasing them out?

Discourage makers, buyers

Roger Caravana, Bulacan: I support Sen. Miriam Santiago’s proposal to increase taxes on unhealthy foods to discourage makers of these types of foods.

Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: Raising the taxes on junk foods is one of the best and legitimate ways to reduce unhealthy food consumption. This is a good idea because it is assumed that this move will deter consumers from buying these products and would make them turn to healthier foods.

Mica Mae Galacgac, Ilocos Sur: No. When we say unhealthy foods, we don’t only talk about junk foods, we also consider the food being digested by the people in slum areas. Increasing the tax on unhealthy foods especially in this time of crisis is not the best solution. Why not just concentrate on factories that produce those junk foods? Maawa naman kayo sa mga taong walang perang pambili ng pagkain.

Another burden

Arlene Go, Manila: Unhealthy foods na nga lang ang kayang bilhin ng mga Pinoy tapos lalagyan pa ng mataas na tax? Ano na lang ang kakainin natin? Ultimo tuyo, sobra nang mahal.

Encef Fuentes, Zamboanga Sibugay: What? More taxes on foods? Come on, give us a break! Food, even if unhealthy, is still food that makes people survive. Why not just increase taxes on alcohol and cigar?

Ret. Col. Ben Paguirigan Jr., Zamboanga City: How will an increase in taxes on unhealthy foods benefit Pinoys when the tax on these foods are already sky-high in the first place? No, we do not support it.

I.Q. Calata, Parañaque City: It would be a cruel move to increase taxes on these foods at this time. We should reduce poverty first, Madam Senator, before we think of your proposal. We need no sugarcoated law on something that is not new anymore. With this dragging issue, our focus on other more important issues like corruption has now been deviated.

Jumar King Rafanan, Ilocos Sur: No, because if they increase the taxes on unhealthy foods, what about the poor people? They don’t have permanent work and their salaries are not enough to buy healthy foods. This means that they will have to work harder if taxes on unhealthy foods are increased.

Lolong Rejano, Marinduque: No. Make the poor people’s pockets healthy and surely they will be able to buy healthy foods. Ang junk food, pantawid-gutom yan ng mahihirap. Kahit ako man pantawid-gutom ko din yan. Is Sen. Santiago out of her mind?

Nicole Anne Battad, Ilocos Sur: For health reasons, yes, but we must also consider the poor people of our country. Those foods that we say are unhealthy are the things that the poor people eat, so Sen. Miriam Santiago must be considerate on this matter.

Lucas Banzon Madamba, Laguna: Unhealthy foods are a staple in the lives of the poor. While it is true that people should buy healthy foods to bring about good health, it is also a fact that unhealthy foods will always be a regular routine for some people.

Is she willing to feed the poor?

Dan Adviento, Ilocos Sur: Think about the poor people whose foods are the ones that we say are unhealthy. My answer is no, unless Sen. Miriam Santiago will feed the poor with healthy foods from her own pocket.

Deo Durante, Camarines Sur: If the good Senator Miriam Santiago has an alternative in order to feed the majority of the marginalized sector relying on unhealthy foods, I will go with her proposal.

Just ban unhealthy foods

Rey Onate, Palayan City: Di huwag na lang payagang magtinda. Why tax it?

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: If they are unhealthy, why even allow vendors to sell them?

Joe Nacilla, Las Piñas City: Miriam’s propaganda experts must be moving heaven and earth to promote their boss’ image by making people believe that she is concerned about the people’s health, thus proposing a heavy tax on sin products and now, unhealthy food. However, in reality, the intention is to make the makers of these products their milking cow. If the people’s health is the real reason, why not ban the manufacture of these products instead?

Outright confiscation

Romeo Caubat, Masbate: No, these unhealthy foods should be confiscated outright and let cats/dogs/pigs and other farm animals feast on them. No need to tax these foods.

Useless proposal

Armando Tavera, Las Piñas City: The proposal of Sen. Santiago is useless. Most Pinoys love to eat unhealthy foods. Masarap kasi.

Good if it becomes a law

Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan City: Yes, indeed a very good proposal, but only if it will be passed into law. Lobby groups would certainly oppose it so the proposal would remain hanging like the proposed sin taxes on liquor and cigarettes.

Difficult to distinguish

Larry Parroco, Metro Manila: What a horrific proposal! No one knows if a particular food is unhealthy or not. Sen. Santiago should have instead proposed big discounts on healthy foods instead.

Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: What are unhealthy foods anyway? We should instead craft a law that requires all food manufacturers, homemade foodstuff included, to put nutritional facts about their products (it should be a must) and give our countrymen the freedom to choose which food to eat.

Carmela Ramento, Cagayan de Oro City: No, as almost all foods are unhealthy. Nice-looking fruits and vegetables can never be grown without pesticides. Animals and poultry products can never be grown without antibiotics laced in its feeds. Canned fish is not exempted, as it is laced with preservatives. Increasing taxes on junk foods is also anti-poor.

Try other tax measures

Edwin Castillo, Tanauan City: Our government must have an efficient tax collection system and eliminate graft and corruption so as not to think of hiking taxes on just about any product in order to increase revenues.

Lourdes Gayle Gamilde, Ilocos Sur: Why not try to increase taxes on alcoholic beverages and cigarettes instead? But it’s good that the government is making a move to promote a healthy lifestyle among the people.

Elpidio Que, Vigan: Why not if these unhealthy foods have bad effects on our health, like cigarettes? But then, she should, as the Joan of Arc of the Senate, push as well for the increase of sin taxes on cigarettes.

Gerii Calupitan, Muntinlupa City: How will Sen. Miriam Santiago classify unhealthy and healthy foods? Why not tax those who feed the mind with erroneous information instead? They do more harm to the psyche of unwary viewers much more than those who manufacture and sell junk foods. Tax these brainwashers and their ilk instead, Madam!

Include supplements

Dennis Montealto, Mandaluyong City: She should also focus on supplements that carry the tagline “No approved therapeutic claims.” Companies that manufacture these products should be scrutinized by the National Nutrition Council (if this office still exists), the Food and Drug Administration, the Dangerous Drugs Board and the like, if these agencies are the ones tasked to oversee the proliferation of these tablets.

ON USING ‘BAYONG’

Marjorie Gumana, Hong Kong: I think that’s a brilliant idea to protect our environment.

Josephine Flores, United Kingdom: Yes that’s better. Dito nga sa UK, they use shopping bags made of sack. It’s really made of sako material. Ang Pinoy lang kasi maaarte. 

‘Balik-Probinsiya’ PROGRAM

Alvin Legarse, Metro Manila: Dapat maging priority ng gobyerno ang mga rural areas ng bansa, at bigyan ng pansin lalo na ang agrikultura na pangunahing pinagkakakitaan ng mga tao doon.

Ari Luis Halos, Metro Manila: Baka mas magandang malagyan ng call center at business process outsourcing sa probinsya. Kailangan ng high-value businesses doon na pwedeng ilabas sa siyudad.

Leo Nicolas, Manila: Coming soon: Balik-Maynila.

ACCOUNTANTS LEAVING RP

Allan Palomares, Manila: It just means more jobs for accountants in the Philippines. That’s good news.

Bien Balajadia, Quezon City: Accountants leaving? Is this still news? Accountants, engineers, nurses, doctors, welders, etc. are all leaving. Must be a slow news day.

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. The STAR does not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for the views of readers exercising their right to free expression. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit.

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