Senator Raffy Tulfo on Sunday said the Department of Finance's (DOF) intention to raise taxes on junk food and sugary drinks will only damage the "poorest of the poor" who rely on these foods to survive.
Tulfo said in a statement that the poor saw junk food as a necessity, noting that they eat chips to satisfy their hunger on occasion.
Among the revenue initiatives recommended by the DOF for next year is a tax of P10 per 100 grams or P10 per 100 milliliters on pre-packaged goods with little nutritional value. Candies, nibbles, desserts, and frozen confectioneries are examples.
In addition, the agency plans to raise the sweetened beverage tax rate to P12 per liter, regardless of the type of sweetener used.
The DOF also stated that raising taxes on junk food and sweetened beverages is part of an attempt to tackle diabetes, obesity, and noncommunicable diseases linked to poor diet, and that the agency is working on the plan with the Department of Health (DOH).
According to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the anticipated revenue from the tax measure's early adoption will raise the proposed 2024 budget to P5.768 trillion from P5.268 trillion in 2023.
The Senator suggested that the government instead raise taxes on food supplements and cosmetics, noting that these are multibillion-peso industries that will not hurt the poor.
Tulfo said that the DOH should instead encourage producers to minimize the sodium level of food products.
He said that Singaporean producers were able to discover low-sodium replacements for processed food products without significantly altering their taste.
