Panel yet to get proposal on salty food tax

By Maricel V. Cruz

ALBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda on Thursday said that the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means has not yet received a formal proposal for a tax on salty food from the Department of Finance (DOF) or the Department of Health (DOH).

At the same time, Salceda, chair of the ways and means committee, said his panel is “still studying the best form of a junk food tax, or whether to do it at all.”

“We have not received the proposal yet. But when we do, it will go through the usual tests the committee applies. Who pays for it? What are its macroeconomic impacts? What are the costs and benefits? What are other countries doing? And what do we do if something goes wrong?” Salceda said.

Salceda added the committee has also not received “a formal bill from the DOF on sweetened beverages.”

“The decision of course will depend on data. We are just in the median of obesity rates in the region, while having the highest sweetened beverage levies in ASEAN.”

“As for salt, we do exceed the 2g per day of sodium recommended by the World Health Organization. So, there is cause for government-led efforts to reduce consumption. But, we are also looking at research, and as for salt, it appears that the highest proportion of excess salt in diets come from added salt in food and sauces – so not necessarily ready-toeat junk food.”

“In that sense, taxation might not be the best measure,” Salceda said.