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MANILA – The increase in excise taxes on tobacco products will help fund the universal health care bill, said a senator who was seeking to raise taxes.
Senator JV Ejercito said he was seeking to raise the tobacco tax to 90 pesos per package, an amount higher than the P60 proposed by Senator Manny Pacquiao and P45 in the House of Representatives.
The Senate and House approved a report from the bicameral committee on the universal law on health care, paving the way for the signing of President Rodrigo Duterte.
"At the present time, I have already filed an increase in taxes on sin, especially on tobacco, because in the Asian market, we always have the lowest price, or even the lowest, package tobacco products, "said Ejercito, chairman of the Senate committee. about health.
In addition to increasing national health insurance coverage to 100%, the bill on universal health care also provides for annual health checks and laboratory tests, said Ejercito, who wishes to be re-elected in 2019.
"People go to the hospital when they are already very sick, we want to strengthen the preventive aspect of health care," he said.
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