In Philippines (HSP) together with Philippine Collecge of Physicians (PCP) and Philippine Medical Association (PMA)has joined the Sin Tax Coalition to urge the government to increase taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and vape products.

MANILA, Philippines — Before Araw ng Kagitingan, more than 200 doctors and health advocates gathered to call on 2025 candidates to commit to increasing taxes on tobacco, vape, and alcohol to protect the Filipino youth from a growing epidemic. The media event also featured a gallery dubbed the as “Health Tax Heroes and Hazards,” calling out 2025 candidates and highlighting their track records on policies such as the Sin Tax Law in 2012 and the Sin Tax Reform Law in 2020. In th

Doctors, medical professionals and health advocates fill the auditorium of the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, as they call on candidates in the May midterm elections to support higher excise taxes on alcohol, cigarettes, and vape products. The Sin Tax Coalition emphasized the alarming rise of tobacco and alcohol use among the youth, linking it to a surge in early-onset diseases and premature deaths THE Sin Tax Coalition is urging Fili

CEBU, Philippines — For too many Filipino women, danger isn’t in dark alleys or unfamiliar streets. It’s inside their homes, at the hands of the people they love. In this year’s Women’s Month, we are reminded that gender equality is not just about representation or economic opportunity—it is also about ensuring that women can live free from harm. One of the most insidious threats to women’s safety today is something we see in every sari-sari store, every convenience store, an

The Sin Tax Coalition plans to approach candidates to discuss vape, tobacco, and alcohol use in the country as doctors describe the situation as a 'full-blown epidemic' MANILA, Philippines – Health professionals and advocates want candidates in the May 2025 elections to prioritize pro-health platforms in their legislative agendas, citing the “devastating” effects of vaping, tobacco, and alcohol on Filipino youth. “Let us be clear: this is a full-blown epidemic that demands i

Election candidates urged to ‘take a stand for public health’ and support tax on alcohol, tobacco, and vapes MANILA, Philippines — Leading doctors and health experts rallied 2025 senatorial, party-list, and district representative candidates to take a stand against what they called a “growing epidemic of alcohol, tobacco, and vape use among Filipino youth” after new findings showed that alcohol and tobacco consumption among youth doubled. At a press conference Wednesday, doct

By Francis Allan L. Angelo of Daily Guardian The Philippines loses an estimated PHP 1.1 trillion annually due to the economic and health costs of alcohol, tobacco, and vape consumption, according to new research from policy think tank Action for Economic Reforms (AER). AER revealed that indirect costs, such as lost productivity from illnesses and premature deaths, accounted for PHP 703.5 billion in 2021. Combined with direct healthcare expenses, the total economic burden of a

Gabriela Baron of Daily Tribune The overall cost of alcohol and tobacco consumption in the Philippines has ballooned to a staggering P1.1 trillion per year, according to new research from policy think tank Action for Economic Reforms (AER). According to AER projections, the indirect costs of tobacco and alcohol consumption—including lost productivity due to illness and premature death—amounted to P703.5 billion in 2021. When combined with direct healthcare expenses, the estim

By THE PHILIPPINE BUSINESS AND NEWS The overall cost of alcohol and tobacco consumption in the Philippines has ballooned to a staggering ₱1.1 trillion per year, new research from policy think tank Action for Economic Reforms (AER) found, which advocates say necessitates increased health tax on these harmful products. According to its news release, AER projected the indirect costs borne out of tobacco and alcohol consumption—including lost productivity due to illness and prema

The Sin Tax Coalition criticizes the authors of House Bill 11279 for calling for a briefing of the Committee on Ways and Means to discuss the said bill, which will lower taxes on tobacco and vape products. HB 11279 was filed by Representative Kristine Singson-Meehan, and co-authored by Rep. Tonypet Albano, Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba, Rep. Ron Salo, Rep. Solomon Chungalao, and Rep. Migs Nograles. The meeting is being tagged as a Committee “briefing,” and called only on the morn

A vaper exhales smoke at a designated smoking area in Quezon City on Wednesday, November 20, 2019. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE Advocacy groups are opposing a bill seeking to suspend levying of excise on tobacco, vapes and other related products next year, arguing that making these products accessible to the public, the moratorium on the so-called sin taxes would also reduce funding for essential health programs of the government. “It is alarming that the proponents filed the bill wi

With the holidays approaching, festive gatherings and celebrations are ramping up, bringing family, friends, and colleagues together. Alcohol often flows freely at these events, but it’s worth taking a moment to think more carefully about the role drinking plays in these settings. While less than half of Filipinos drink regularly, our culture has normalized and glamorized alcohol, creating an environment that often encourages harmful behavior. As a result, we see high rates o

HARMFUL. Alcoholic beverages displayed in one of the supermarkets in Tacloban City in this undated photo. The Sin Tax Coalition on Thursday (Sept. 26, 2024) has called on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to designate September as alcohol harms awareness month. (PNA Photo by Daniel Panis) MANILA – A group of health advocates has called on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to designate September as Alcohol Harms Awareness Month. In a media forum on Thursday, the Sin Tax Coali

AnaKalusugan party-list Rep. Ray Reyes (with mic) has filed House Bill No. 10881 seeking to declare September as 'National Alcohol Harms Awareness Month,' with September 30 being the 'National Alcohol Harms Awareness Day.' Photo courtesy of Sin Tax Coalition Several health advocates and government officials on Thursday called for the designation of September of every year as “Alcohol Harms Awareness Month” to help educate people about the importance of responsible alcohol con

The Sin Tax Coalition launched a signature campaign urging the government to declare September as Alcohol Awareness Month. The advocates, composed of various medical societies, youth and civil society groups, collectively denounced the harms brought about by alcohol including heart diseases, mental health issues, cancers, and accidents. AnaKalusugan Party list Rep. Ray Florence Reyes has filed HB 10881 that seeks to declare September of every year as "National Alcohol Harms A

At least 67% of Filipinos support raising excise taxes on alcoholic products to reduce consumption. This finding comes from two national surveys presented by the Sin Tax Coalition in a public forum on July 9. One survey was carried out by Vital Strategies, an international public health organization working across more than 80 countries. Local research firm WR Numero also implemented a nationwide survey among Filipinos aged 18 and above which found that 67% of Filipinos supp

This December 12, 2023 we mark 12 years since the game-changing Sin Tax Reform Law (RA 10351) expanded fiscal space for public health. Since then, 4 rounds of four rounds of sin tax reforms passed in 2012, 2017, 2019, and 2020, which increased taxes on tobacco, alcohol, e-cigarette, vape, and heated tobacco products. Kudos to the diverse coalition of medical professionals, health policy experts, local & national government officials and civil society advocates that made it ha

Health reform advocates, civil society organizations, and government representatives gathered to assess the performance of Sin Tax Reform laws passed from 2012-2020 on health outcomes, revenues, expenditures for health and tobacco-producing local government units, and illicit trade, and how the country should move forward from these learnings. Co-organized by iLEAD, Vital Strategies for Tobacco Control Division, the Sin Tax Coalition and Action for Economic Reforms, the event

Community groups and health advocates call for taxes on alcohol and e-cigarette taxes. Used with permission from Bawas Bisyo / Youth for Sin Tax Movement. The Philippine experience in so-called ‘Sin Tax’ reform offers rich lessons learned in congressional policymaking and the role of civil society. Sin Tax reform involved sustained increases in the excise tax rates for tobacco and alcohol products deemed ‘sinful’ because they are considered to pose significant social and hea