煙草在線據《馬尼拉標準今日報》報道編譯　　盡管財政部長塞薩爾·普里西馬承認提稅不會導致吸煙者人數的減少，但是參議員將詢問煙草行業的利益相關人對政府調整煙酒消費稅提議的意見。

　　“我們認為大幅提稅，導致零售價格增長，不會使煙草消費急劇下降，”普里西馬在此前參議院籌款委員會召開的聽證會上表示。

　　引用一個研究，他說，最近的經驗證明，在煙草稅和價格提高的情況下，卷煙消費甚至在增加。

　　普里西馬說，從2004年到2011年，卷煙價格增加了61%之多，但是消費量沒有下降。

　　他指出煙草稅多年來的增長，導致零售價格相應增長了高達99%。

　　《共和國9334號法案》規定，從2005年1月1日起，每隔一年，提高煙草和酒類產品的稅收，直到2011年1月1日為止。

　　但是籌款委員會主席參議員拉爾夫·瑞克圖強調，正在進行的稅收改革討論中最重要的是提出有效稅率。

　　他強調，參議院多數議員的想法是提出一個對所有參與者都有利的稅收結構。

　　對參議院議長胡安·龐塞·恩里萊而言：“如果要增加稅收，你真的認為我們可以減少吸煙者的人數，或者他們會減少消費的煙支數量但是將繼續抽煙嗎？”

　　工會主席Rodelito Atienza問道：“如果聲明的目標無法實現，為什么財政部要傷害煙酒行業中數百萬的利益相關者，使他們失去工作或生活來源呢？”

　　聯合英格魯美國煙草公司（Associated Anglo-American Tobacco Corp）的聯合副總裁布萊克·迪稱，政府的“嚴厲”是不必要的。他說，有其他不會造成這么大影響的籌措資金的方法。

　　他說，在這個問題上政府應該保持開放的思維。有很多方法可以實現政府的目標，而不會破壞該行業，他說。

　　衛生部長恩里克·奧納（Enrique Ona）說，國家現在是東南亞的頭號煙草消費國，每個菲律賓吸煙者每年估計吸1073支煙。

　　他指出，煙草使用是造成世界上八大可預防疾病中六種的風險因素。

Philippines: Tax Hike Didn't Cut Smoking - Study

　　Senators will ask the stakeholders in the tobacco industry on the government proposal to restructure excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol despite the admission made by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima that the tax incrase did not lead to a reduction in the number of smokers.

　　"We believe that increasing taxes dramatically and therefore, increasing retail prices, will not lead to a dramatic decline in consumption," Purisima said during an earlier hearing conducted by the Senate ways and means committee.

　　Citing a study, he said recent experience proved that cigarette consumption even went up　amid increases in tobacco taxes and prices.

　　Purisima said that cigarette prices from year 2004 to 2011　increased by as much as 61 percent, but consumption did not go down.

　　He was referring to tobacco tax increases, which over the years, had led to corresponding hikes in the retail prices by as much as 99 percent.

　　Republic Act 9334 mandates tax hikes on tobacco and alcohol products starting Jan. 1, 2005 and every other year until Jan. 1, 2011.

　　But ways and means committee chairman Senator Ralph Recto stressed that what is important in the ongoing tax reform deliberations is coming up with the effective tax rate.

　　He noted that it was the sentiment of majority in the Senate to come up with a tax structure that would benefit all players equally.

　　Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile for his part said: "If are going to increase the tax that high, do you really think we can reduce the number of smokers or they will just reduce the number of sticks they are consuming but they will continue to smoke?"

　　Labor Union (PMFTCLU) president Rodelito Atienza asked: "if the declared objective will not be achieved, why is the DOF willing to cause so much injury to millions of stakeholders in both alcohol and tobacco industries who stand to lose their jobs or source of livelihood?"

　　Blake Dy, vice president of Associated Anglo-American Tobacco Corp., said that government was being "heavy-handed" needlessly. There are alternative ways of raising the money without causing such radical displacement, he said.

　　He said the government should keep　an open mind on this matter. There are a number of ways to achieve government's objectives without destroying the industry, he said.

　　Health Secretary Enrique Ona said the country is now Southeast Asia's number one tobacco-consuming country with every Filipino smoker puffing an estimated 1,073 sticks yearly.

　　He pointed out that tobacco use is a risk factor in six of the world's eight leading causes of preventable diseases. Enditem