Advocates Urge Alcohol Tax Hike as Deaths and Family Harms Mount

MANILA, Philippines — As alcohol-related deaths and social harms continue to rise, health advocates launched the “Sinasaktan ng Alak ang Pamilya” campaign, calling for increased alcohol taxes and enforcement to protect Filipino families.

At a media launch on April 24, health advocates and affected Filipinos shared data and personal narratives that highlighted the real-life impacts of alcohol harm on families.

“This campaign shows that alcohol harm continues because our policies have not kept up with how easy it is to buy and promote alcohol,” said Rep. Nat Oducado (1Tahanan Partylist), who filed House Bill 3887 in October to help reduce alcohol-related health burdens and increase funding for better health services. Based on initial estimates, the bill stands to generate some P200 billion in incremental revenues over the next six years.

“If we truly want to protect Filipino families, we need stronger laws. Awareness is not enough; we need decisive action now,” Oducado said.

Symbolic storytelling, including survivor accounts and a staged family dining setup, highlighted what the groups said were the effects of alcohol on everyday family life in Filipino homes.

“Because of alcohol, I watched my family slowly fall apart,” [PLACEHOLDER] shared at the campaign launch. “It destroyed our trust in one another and eventually, how we live our daily lives at home.”

Despite being deeply embedded in Filipino social life, alcohol carries serious yet often overlooked health risks. Dr. RJ Naguit of the Philippine Society of Public Health Physicians noted that alcohol is linked to more than 200 diseases and injuries, many of which place a growing burden on the country’s healthcare system.

“We in the medical community are raising the alarm on how normalized alcohol is in Filipino culture. It’s present in celebrations, gatherings, and even moments of grief,” he said. “Behind this normalization is a long list of preventable illnesses that continue to harm Filipinos and their families every day.”

Per PSPHP, some 47 Filipinos die each day over alcohol-related causes, with 45.2 percent of these linked to liver cancer alone. Alcohol is also a known risk factor for cancers of the intestines and stomach, as well as breast and ovarian cancer among women.

On a social level, eight out of ten Filipinos report knowing someone who has been harmed by alcohol, with community violence cited as the most common. For advocates, these figures betray the widespread and deeply rooted nature of alcohol harm across Filipino communities.

Advocates stress that these harms are not isolated but driven by the accessibility and affordability of alcohol products, with many of these targeting children.

“This is the reality for millions of Filipino families,” said Paul Roset of the Sin Tax Coalition. “Alcohol is often cheaper than basic necessities and is available almost everywhere. But what families pay in the end is far greater: their health, safety, and ultimately, their future.”

The campaign urged the national government to increase alcohol taxes and strengthen enforcement of existing regulations. Evidence from around the world has shown that higher taxes reduce consumption and generate revenue for health and social services.

Without decisive action, advocates warn that alcohol-related harms will continue to burden families and the nation.

“When alcohol harms, families suffer the most,” Roset added. “It is the children who go hungry, the partners who carry the burden alone, and the homes that quietly fall apart. This is why we cannot afford to delay action any longer.”