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DOH studying proposing taxes on food with much salt; eyes daing, too


The Department of Health is looking into proposing a measure that will impose taxes on food with high salt content.

“There’s nothing concrete right now but it is something the DOH is studying,” DOH spokesperson and Undersecretary Eric Domingo said at a news conference in Malacañang on Wednesday.

He said the tax may be levied on products such as daing or dried fish.

“Kung umabot tayo doon then that’s a possibility. But I am not saying right now that is where we’re going,” Domingo said. “We don’t have any guidelines on that yet.”

Domingo said the experience of several countries showed that taxing on unhealthy food led to reduced consumption and pushed companies to reformulate their products.

He added too much salt in the diet could cause hypertension, heart and kidney diseases.

“Ito yung iniisip natin na pag-aralan na pag tataasan natin ang buwis sa salted food maaaring magkaroon ito ng positive na outcomes sa ating mga kalusugan,” Domingo said.

A bill seeking to impose sin tax on salty food failed to pass in the 17th Congress.

Filed by former Masbate Representative Scott Davies Lanete, House Bill 3719 sought to impose a P1 tax per milligram of salt – in junk food, canned goods and processed food – in excess of one third of the allowable daily intake as prescribed by the DOH. —NB, GMA News

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