BAGUIO CITY – The city health officer here said the imposition of higher excise tax rates on sugar-sweetened beverages under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law was expected to lower cases of diabetes and other lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases like cancer, heart ailments, stroke and obesity.
Dr. Rowena Galpo said on Tuesday, “malaking tulong ang pag-impose ng tax, we will see the result na mababawasan talaga ang pag-inom ng sweetened drinks with artificial sugar contents (the imposition of tax is a big help, we will see more people no longer consuming drinks with artificial sugar).”
Sugar, not high cholesterol, has been found to be the culprit in the alarming increase in cases of diabetes that leads to other diseases.
The diseases mentioned above, the doctor said, were among the Top 10 leading causes of death or mortality in the country.
Avoiding carbonated drinks will help lower the public’s consumption of sugar, thereby limiting if not preventing the possibility of acquiring non-communicable diseases.
Dr. Galpo further explained that at the Baguio Health Services Office where she is chief, priority are programs that address the Top 10 leading causes of mortality.
Diabetes, for one, is recorded to have an annual uptrend in the number of cases, the reason they allot funds for programs that try to inculcate in the minds of the residents, including children, the importance of avoiding sugary beverages.
Galpo said the government spent a lot for curative medicines rather than preventive, which must be the focus of a healthy lifestyle.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in a press conference on Monday, told the media that the World Health Organization had lauded the Philippine government for passing the sugar-sweetened beverage tax law which was a great step forward in protecting the health of Filipinos.
He also said that the Philippines was among the first Asian countries to implement the said tax law. “The SSB (sugar-sweetened beverage) excise tax, as a health measure, will encourage the public to make healthy choices to ensure a healthier and more productive lifestyle,” he said. **Pamela Mariz Geminiano and Liza T. Agoot/ PNA
