Tobacco Hypocrisy

The government of the Philippines has a hypocritical attitude towards tobacco usage and farming. On the one hand the Department of Health urges everyone to either quit or never begin smoking in the name of living a healthy lifestyle. 

http://tribune.net.ph/2025/04/05/doh-sounds-alarm-on-rising-tobacco-use

The Department of Health (DoH) has expressed alarm over the rising prevalence of tobacco use by Filipinos.

In a statement on Friday, the DoH reminded the public that nicotine addiction from tobacco products remained a critical public health concern in the Philippines.

Citing the 2023 National Nutrition Survey, tobacco prevalence went up from 19 percent in 2021 to 24.4 percent among adults aged 20 to 59.

With this, the DoH stressed that tobacco use is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates over eight million annual deaths attributable to tobacco.

In the Philippines, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority for 2023 and 2024 indicate that the top three causes of death — heart attacks, cancer and strokes — are all linked to tobacco use.

“Beyond its association with the top three causes of death, cigarette smoking is also linked to a range of other serious health conditions. These include lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and harmful reproductive health effects,” the DoH noted.

Additionally, smoking contributes to other diseases, including certain eye disorders and immune system problems like rheumatoid arthritis, the Health department noted.

The agency also emphasized the dangers of exposure to second-hand smoke, which is known to cause coronary heart disease, strokes and lung cancer in adults, and increases the risk of respiratory and ear infections, asthma attacks and sudden infant death syndrome in children.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa recently came under fire for posing for pictures with executives of Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Co. at a Malacañang event.

Health reform advocates slammed Herbosa for “promoting tobacco products,” citing Joint Memorandum Circular 2010-001 of the Civil Service Commission and the DoH which explicitly mandates that government officials should avoid unnecessary interactions with and not accept donations from the tobacco industry.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, however, said there was no evidence Herbosa accepted donations from tobacco companies.

“If the DoH didn’t receive any donation from the tobacco company, we don’t see anything wrong with that,” she added.

Yet, if people stop smoking excise taxes will stop being paid and Universal Healthcare will lose funding. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/933863/p27b-reduction-in-uhc-funding-seen-with-sin-tax-moratorium-on-tobacco-party-list/story/

The proposed moratorium on the implementation of the Sin Tax law on tobacco products will result in P27 billion worth of lost funding for the Universal Health Care Law, the Anakalusugan party-list said Thursday.

Anakalusugan party-list Representative Ray Reyes is referring to House Bill 11279 which seeks to postpone the existing 4% increase in tobacco products taxes for 2026 to make way for a 6% increase in tobacco products in 2027 and every two years thereafter.

The same proposed moratorium also provides that on years without a scheduled increase in the rate of tax except for 2026, the President, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Finance, may increase the tax rate by up to 5% in case the actual national government deficit of the previous year exceeds the programmed deficit by an equivalent of the 2% of the gross domestic product of the previous year.

"The ‘Health Sabotage Bill’ threatens over P27 billion worth of government revenues over the next five years- funds essential for Universal Health Care, building health facilities, hiring medical staff, and other critical health services. Anakalusugan party-list strongly opposes the proposed moratorium on sin taxes, also known as the ‘Health Sabotage Bill.’ Its approval would drastically harm public health, burden the economy, and undermine our progress toward a healthier, more resilient nation,” Anakalusugan said.

The group urged the public to oppose the moratorium on sin taxes, saying the "financial loss would seriously cripple programs aimed at improving public health and welfare.”

Anakalusugan party-list said that projected health costs are set to increase by 18% by 2025, making the proposed moratorium “untenable.”

“Removing or freezing sin taxes will cause a rise in smokers across all demographics. Data from the Department of Health reveals that despite the current tax rates, the number of smokers has increased. Halting tax hikes means lost revenue for the government and rising healthcare costs,” it said.

The party-list also cited studies that claim sin taxes deter smoking and the use of harmful products like traditional tobacco, vape, and heated tobacco, while the proposed moratorium opens the door for 400,000 more smokers by 2030.

“The broader economic toll is alarming. Smoking results in P414 billion in lost productivity and disease treatment annually. This represents the untapped potential of our workforce, which is crucial for the Philippines' global competitiveness,” the group said.

“Failure to address these avoidable losses jeopardizes the nation's health, economy, and resilience. Public health is non-negotiable,” Anakalusugan added.

They say removing taxes will cause a rise in smokers but that would also mean more funds for Universal Health Care. Isn't that a win? 

Perhaps more perplexingly is how a local government in Ilocos Norte is treating tobacco farmers. They want to give financial rewards. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1254408

This municipality, considered as the rice granary of Ilocos Norte, is shifting its sight to expand its tobacco industry this planting season to generate more revenues for local farmers.

According to Mayor Joemelle Saguid Go-Sy, a series of meetings with farmers groups are ongoing to encourage more farmers to plant tobacco and help the local government unit (LGU) achieve its expansion target of 200 hectares from the current 123-hectare tobacco plantation.

In return, Go-Sy vowed to reward farmers who can help the municipality get its share of tobacco excise tax.

"For every 200 kilos of tobacco harvest delivered, a farmer will be given a cow, 100 kilos for goat, or an egg-laying chicken to boost their livelihood," Go-Sy told the Philippine News Agency in a recent interview.

The mayor noted that the terms are flexible depending on the needs of farmers.

Rice is the major agricultural product of Dingras, followed by tobacco, corn, garlic and lowland vegetables.

Planting tobacco also has added benefits to farmers because of the tobacco excise tax under Republic Act 7171, which grants benefits to farmers in towns and provinces that produce Virginia tobacco.

Under the law, local governments units that produce Virginia tobacco are entitled to a 15-percent share of national tax collections.

Farmers here earn an average of PHP50,000 to PPH70,000 per hectare from raising tobacco, which has a sure market from established buyers like the Universal Leaf Philippines Inc., the country’s biggest tobacco growing and processing company.

A cow, a chicken, and a goat for growing tobacco? But what about the DOH wanting to reduce tobacco dependence? Rewarding tobacco farmers would seem to not be in line with DOH goals. It is in line with retaining and reaping new smokers who will pay those excise taxes to fund Universal Health Care though. And isn't Universal Health Care a goal of the DOH? Shouldn't DOH encourge people to smoke?