Philippines Eyes Higher Sweetened Beverage Tax to Combat Rising Obesity

THE Department of Health (DoH) on Monday backed higher sweetened beverage taxes to curb consumption as rising obesity and other diet-related health risks increase pressure for stronger public health measures. At a joint hearing of the House of Representatives Committees on Ways and Means and Health, Health Assistant Secretary Lester M. Tan said the sweetened beverage tax should be strengthened as part of efforts to prevent noncommunicable diseases. “The Department of Health supports strengthening the sweetened beverage tax as a public health measure,” he told congressmen. Tax rates should be high enough to reduce consumption, cover more products and be adjusted for inflation to prevent their value from weakening over time, he said. The DoH cited national survey data showing that about 62% of adults aged 20 to 59 were overweight or obese, while 37% of students aged 13 to 17 consumed a sweetened beverage at least once a day. National Nutrition Council Executive Director Albert Francis E. Domingo also pointed to the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity among Filipinos. The proportion of Filipino adults who were overweight or obese increased to 38.6% in 2023 from 16.6% in 1993, Mr. Domingo said. Filipinos’ dietary sugar intake also remained above recommended levels, he said. The council supports the proposed sweetened beverage tax amendment as part of broader measures to improve the country’s food environment. “We agree with the amendment adding an excise tax on sweetened beverages,” Mr. Domingo said in mixed English and Filipino. The Department of Finance has proposed raising the sweetened beverage tax to P20 per liter for purely caloric and noncaloric beverages and P40 per liter for beverages using high-fructose corn syrup, with annual indexation. The existing P6 per liter tax on purely caloric and noncaloric beverages and P12 per liter tax on high-fructose corn syrup-based beverages has lost value because it has not been adjusted for inflation, Finance Undersecretary Karlo Fermin S. Adriano told lawmakers. National University of Singapore researcher Harvy Joy Liwanag said the existing tax initially reduced purchases of sweetened beverages, but its effect has weakened over time. A P20-per-liter tax with annual inflation adjustment could make the measure more effective in reducing consumption, he said. A stronger tax could also encourage manufacturers to reformulate beverages and reduce their sugar content, he added. The DoH said the sweetened beverage tax should be paired with other health measures, including front-of-pack labeling, protection of children from unhealthy food marketing and adequately funded nutrition programs. “The tax should also operate alongside other policies that would improve the food environment,” Mr. Tan said. — Pexcel John Bacon