Philstar
Drilon raises alarm over rising cigarette smuggling, warns of revenue, health impact
Former Senate President Franklin Drilon expressed deep concern over the escalating rate of cigarette smuggling in the Philippines.
Drilon, the principal author of the Sin Tax Reform Law (RA 10351), noted the daily media reports of arrests made by law enforcement against sellers of untaxed cigarettes.
He authored the landmark RA 10351 in 2012, which aimed to simplify taxation and increase excise taxes on alcohol and cigarettes.
This legislation successfully boosted government tobacco tax collections from P33 billion in 2012 to P72 billion in 2013.
Furthermore, the law contributed to a 17% reduction in total cigarette volume during the same period, aligning with its goals of increasing revenue and curbing smoking consumption.
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News Sources
See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
The Philippine Tobacco Institute (PTI) is urging the government to adjust tobacco tax rates to combat the escalating illicit trade.
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Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, will block any measure that lowers excise taxes on tobacco and vapor products, asserting that such cuts are ineffective in combating illicit trade.
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