烟草在线据《马尼拉公报》报道编译　　来自菲律宾La Union的一名立法议员说，在考虑新的征税措施，如对烟草和酒精消费税实行指数化之前，菲律宾政府应该努力执行现行法律法规。

　　尽管财政部希望烟酒提税提案在明年年中得到批准，但La Union的议员Victor Ortega指出，政府还需要真正地执行卷烟法律法规。

　　Victor Ortega说：“如果我们不能严格地执行禁止向未成年人出售卷烟这样的现行法律法规的话，通过新法又有什么用呢？”

　　但菲律宾财政部解释说，有必要提高烟草与酒精的税率，这样，烟草业就不会仅仅被一家公司所控制，同时也有必要提高政府的征税效率。

　　目前，控制着菲律宾90%烟草市场的是菲莫福川公司（PMFTC），即菲利普莫里斯公司与陈永栽拥有的福川烟草公司的合资企业。

　　菲律宾财政部还打算通过重组的烟酒消费税，征收到大约600亿比索额外的税收。通过这些措施获得的税收将指定用于政府提议的公共健康保健系统。

　　不过，Ortega警告说，提税和在卷烟烟盒上附上图片健康警语的提案可能促使伊罗戈斯（Ilocos）地区的烟农考虑恢复种植大麻。

　　Ortega说：“我们花了很长时间与大麻的种植进行斗争。我们已经取得了很大的成功，可能除了山区的部分地区以外，我们已经将大麻种植减到最少程度。”

　　根据菲律宾政府的估计，征收罪恶税在执行的第一年可能筹集到190亿至200亿比索，在第二年可能筹集到300亿至400亿比索，在第三年可能筹集到400亿至500亿比索，而在第四年可能筹集到600亿至700亿比索。

　　菲律宾国会的筹款委员会还在商讨提高罪恶税的措施。

　　预算与管理大臣Florencio B. Abad在早些时候说，筹款委员会听证及各种“罪恶税”提案的推迟，促使筹款委员会主席、八打雁众议员Hermilando I. Mandanas被去免去职务。

　　新任命的筹款委员会主席、达沃市的众议员Isidro T. Ungab说，他会优先考虑，并快速通过消费税改革提案。

Cigarette rules not properly implemented

Manila Bulletin
Jan 4, 2012

　　MANILA, Philippines — The national government should endeavor to enforce existing rules and regulations before considering new tax measure, like the indexation of excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol, a lawmaker from La Union said.

　　While the Department of Finance (DoF) wanted the proposed hike in levies on alcohol and tobacco be approved by the middle of next year, La Union Representative Victor Ortega pointed that the government has yet properly implemented the rules and regulations on cigarettes.

　　"What's the use of passing new laws if we cannot strictly enforce existing rules and regulations like the ban on selling cigarettes to minors," Ortega said.

　　But the finance department explained that there is a need to raise tobacco and alcohol taxes so that the industry is not controlled by just one company and to improve the government's tax efficiency.

　　Currently, the company that controls 90 percent of the Philippine market is PMFTC, the merged entity of Philip Morris and Lucio Tan-owned Fortune Tobacco Corporation.

　　The finance department is also aiming to collect roughly P60 billion in additional revenues through the restructured excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco. Revenue from the measure would be earmarked for the government's proposed public health care system.

　　Ortega, however, warned that an increase in taxes and the proposed attachment of graphic health warnings on cigarette packs may trigger tobacco farmers in the Ilocos Region to thinking about going back to marijuana planting.

　　"It took us a long, long time in the Ilocos Region to fight this marijuana planting. And we've gone a long way into minimizing it, except maybe in a few portions of the mountainous areas," Ortega said.

　　According to government estimates, the sin tax measure could raise as much as P19 billion to P20 billion in the first year of implementation, P30 billion to P40 billion in the second year, P40 billion to P50 billion in the third year and P60 billion to P70 billion in the fourth year.

　　The sin tax hike measure is still being deliberated by the House ways and means committee.

　　Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad earlier said that delays in committee hearings and in the consolidation of the various "sin" tax bills had prompted the removal of committee chairman Batangas Rep. Hermilando I. Mandanas.

　　Newly instated ways and means committee chairman Davao City Rep. Isidro T. Ungab has said that he would prioritize and fast-track the passage of proposed excise tax reforms.