烟草在线据InterAksyon报道编译　　菲律宾烟草垄断企业在6月14日称，一旦政府支持的烟酒税改革提案成为法律后，该公司的销售将下降超过四分之一。

　　菲莫福川烟草公司的克里斯·尼尔森（Chris Nelson）在提及众议院第5727号法案时说，“在最好的情况下，整个市场在此修订案后的销售将下降至少26%。”

　　烟草行业每年销售1000亿支香烟，菲莫福川烟草公司则垄断了烟草市场销售的90%。

　　尼尔森称，然而烟草行业的预期下降并不意味着卷烟的消费量也会相应下降。

　　他在一次午宴简报会上向记者透露，“完税市场可能下降，但是下降的部分将被非法市场的假烟或走私烟所抵消，这对任何人无论是政府还是合法的烟草行业都无益。”

　　尼尔森说，“这没有考虑如果你要拥有大量的走私烟或假烟，价格甚至可能会更高的情况。所以，对烟草行业的影响可能更严重。”他补充说该行业直接或间接地雇佣了290万人。

　　他说众议院第5727号法案是不平衡的，支持酒业，而烟草生产商将承担烟酒税改革措施预期增长税收收入330亿比索的85%。

　　提及众议员在本月初以201支持票和21反对票通过了5727号法案时，尼尔森说，“如果他们能够对酒业进行调整，为什么他们不能对烟草行业也做出一些支持性的调整呢？”

　　尼尔森称原本是三层税率结构中最低的烟草税率在未来两年内将会飙升700%，而对于邻近的两层税率将会分别猛涨300%和150%。

　　尼尔森说这比酒类产品8%到32%的税率增长幅度还要高。他补充道：“差距太大了，我们认为有必要重新审视。”

Tobacco monopoly expects 26% drop in sales under sin tax reform

14 Jun 2012
InterAksyon

　　MANILA – The Philippines' tobacco monopoly on Thursday said sales would drop by over a fourth once the government-backed sin tax reform bill becomes law.

　　"In the best case scenario, the total market under this revised bill will go down by at least 26 percent," Chris Nelson, Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. said, referring to House Bill 5727.

　　The industry sells 100 billion cigarette sticks a year, with PMFTC cornering 90 percent of the market.

　　Nelson said the expected drop in industry sales however won't mean consumption would likewise decline.

　　"The tax-paid market may go down, but it will be offset by the illicit market, or counterfeiting and smuggling, which benefits absolutely no one, not the government nor the legitimate industry," he told reporters during a luncheon briefing.

　　"That does not account for the fact if you get significant smuggling and counterfeiting, so it could even be higher. Thus, the impact on the tobacco industry could be much worse," Nelson said, adding that the industry employs 2.9 million people directly and indirectly.

　　He said HB 5727 is lopsided in favor of the liquor sector since tobacco producers would shoulder 85 percent of the P33 billion in additional tax revenues expected from the sin tax reform measure.

　　"If they can adjust for alcohol, why can't they make some favorable adjustments for the tobacco industry as well," Nelson said, referring to members of the House who early this month approved HB 5727, with 201 in favor and 21 against the bill.

　　Nelson said the tax rate for tobacco under the lowest of three tiers will surge by 700 percent in two years, while those for the next two tiers would jump by 300 percent and 150 percent, respectively.

　　Nelson said this is higher than the eight to 32 percent increase in the tax rates of alcohol products. "The difference is enormous which we feel needs to be looked at," he added.