MANILA, Philippines— The two chambers of Congress have agreed on the final version of the Sin Tax Law.
The Bicameral Conference Committee on Wednesday (Dec. 18) approved the bill that proposes an additional tax on cigarettes, salty foods, alcohol and vapor products.
The bill provides for the application of the additional tax on fermented products from Php 35 in 2020 to Php 43 by the year 2024, while distilled products will be imposed with P35 to 66 taxes, wines with added Php 50 tax, and heated tobacco with additional Php 25 in the coming year.
The bicam has also approved the provision that prevents selling to vape products to buyers who are 21 years old and below.
“Kung ikaw ay hindi pa 21, definitely hindi pwede, tatanungin ka pa, nagyoyosi ka ba, kapag hindi ka nagyoyosi hindi ka pwede,” said House Committee on Ways and Means chairman, Rep. Joey Salceda.
This measure seeks to collect Php 24.9-Million taxes, and such will be used in the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act.
“I think all the health advocates sana mas mataas pa as a revenue measure, I had also hope na mas mataas,” Senate Committee on Ways and Means chair Pia Cayetano added.
The approved bill also provided for a clearer rule on VAT exemptions on medicines for diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.
And by 2023, medicines for mental health, cancer, and tuberculosis will also be VAT-exempt. — (from the report of Nel Maribojoc) /mbmf
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has destroyed P10 million worth of hazardous, unsafe products that were illegally imported.
The BOC-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) reported another 24.6 tons of vape products, cosmetics, expired medicines/supplements, and other hazardous and unsafe goods were destroyed through the thermal decomposer (Pyrolysis) facility of the Integrated Waste Management Inc., in Cavite on October 17 and 19.
The said goods were imported without necessary Food and Drug Administration (FDA) registration and permits.
Port of NAIA District Collector Carmelita M. Talusan, in a statement, said the proceedings aim to address perennial congestion problems of customs facilities on abandoned and illegally shipped items. AAC
Around P50 million worth of misdeclared cigarettes from China were destroyed by the Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Port of Cagayan de Oro last October 2.
The cigarettes came from different shipments that were declared as furniture and disposable cups. One of the shipments arrived last May 14 while the other shipment arrived last June 9 at Mindanao Container Terminal in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
District Collector John Simon issued a Decree of Abandonment after the shipment failed to request for extension of lodgement of its goods.
“The shipment has been previously issued with an Alert Order. This was followed by a 100% physical examination which revealed the shipment actually containing cigarettes,” the BOC said in a statement. AAC
MANILA, Philippines – Nagpaalala ang Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sa publiko hinggil sa wastong pag-iimbak ng rubbing alcohol, sanitizer at iba pang uri ng disinfectant dahil posible umano itong pagmulan ng sunog.
Ayon kay FDA director general Eric Domingo, flammable o madaling masunog ang mga ganitong uri ng materyal dahil sa taglay nitong mataas na antas ng alcohol at iba pang kemikal.
Maliban sa rubbing alcohol at sanitizer, kabilang din sa flammable products na kalimitang nakikita sa bahay ay ang aerosols katulad ng hairspray at anti-perspirant sprays, fabric softener, nail polish remover, cooking oil, at harina.
Ginawa ni Domingo ang paalala sa gitna ng novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic kung kailan marami ang gumagamit ng alcohol at iba pang disinfectant upang makaiwas sa COVID-19.
Ayon sa FDA chief, dapat ilagay sa maayos na lugar ang mga bote ng disinfectants at malayo sa apoy o sa mga bagay na may matataas o maiinit na temperatura.
“Gusto natin sa temperature na mababa, hindi pwede sa mainit, wala sa direct na araw. At syempre gusto natin sa mga lugar na maaliwalas, hindi sa mga confined,” ang wika ni Domingo.
“Kapag ganito, may posibility na pwede siyang ma-ignite o masindihan at hindi lang masunog, maaring sumabog,” dagdag pa niya.
Dapat rin aniya ay may maayos na label ang mga produkto at may sapat na babala at impormasyon para sa mga gagamit nito.
“Meron tayong mga labelling requirements na nakalagay. And in fact, pag alcohol, nakalagay diyan may warning na probable o maaaring masunog at of course maaaring sumabog ang ganitong produkto,” ang wika ni Domingo.
Paalala rin ng opisyal sa publiko na sundin ang mga direksyon sa pakete hinggil sa paggamit at pag-iimbak nito upang makaiwas sa aksidente. – RRD (mula sa ulat ni Correspondent Vincent Arboleda)
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