Child Rights Network
- On the 2nd reading approval of HB 11360 or the Sin Tax Sabotage Bill - February 3, 2025
- Study show E-cigarette brands target children through online marketing - October 23, 2024
- Reducing vaping and youth nicotine addiction - July 23, 2024
The Child Rights Network expresses disappointment with the House of Representatives for allowing the railroading of HB 11360, or the Sin Tax Sabotage Bill, which was approved on 2nd reading on January 29, 2025.
The House of Representatives decided to lower sin taxes on tobacco, which is a sabotage of the sin tax measure that is meant to protect the health of Filipinos and help our country generate revenues to finance healthcare.
This is an assault on our children’s right to health. We all know why the tobacco industry wants lowered taxes—to make tobacco products, including vapes and e-cigarettes, more accessible and affordable to their target replacement smokers: the youth.
From the get-go, pro-tobacco industry legislators chose to ignore evidence and expert opinion that increased tobacco taxes are not causing illicit trade nor are they to blame for declining sin tax revenues. This argument by coddlers of the industry doesn’t even make any sense.
The real viable solution, presented loud and clear by legislators who care about public health, is to increase the taxes on vapes as we strictly enforce measures to curb illicit trade in tobacco and improve tax administration. This is cognizant of the fact that there are more vape and e-cigarette users now than before and the products remain heavily undertaxed.
So why not maintain the current tax regime on tobacco products? Why are some of our legislators brazenly working to benefit the tobacco industry at the expense of public health?
And why do they refuse to acknowledge that the country spends more on addressing tobacco-related illnesses than it earns in revenue from taxing these products?
We remind our legislators of their duty to protect public health, especially the health of our children and the youth. To make tobacco products more accessible to them through lowered taxes runs counter to this duty.
There are 1 million new smokers and vapers among adolescents aged 10-19, according to the 2023 National Nutrition Survey by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute.
We urge the Senate to listen to reason and not mirror what has transpired in the House of Representatives. Child rights and health advocates will be watching your next move.
We applaud and commend the legislators in the House of Representatives who stood up for health and the protection of children and youth.
We remain strong in our resolve to uphold the right of children and youth to protection and the highest standard of health.